Squirrels are cute and furry, but they can cause a lot of damage in crawlspaces or attics if they invade to build their nests. Not to mention some squirrels are considered endangered or protected species so you have to be very careful how you deal with them.
With that said, if you have determined that your squirrel is indeed safe to legally eliminate then here is how to get rid of them. First, locate an entry points. I am going to describe 3 of the most common entry points below. Find one of them, and install a 1 way door on it (which you will then seal up afterwards). Then seal all of the other entry points up so the squirrel is forced to leave through the 1 way door.
So let’s begin. The first step is a thorough inspection. If the activity is in an attic you will want to check 3 main areas. First, make sure all of your gutters are in good working order and that the facia board behind the gutters is not rotting away. If this is the case, squirrels can simply chew or scratch through rotten wood and gain entry into the home. Once you determined that your gutters are in good shape the next step is your roof vents. Most roof vents can be inspected from inside the attic (which is what we recommend). Make sure the mesh on the roof vent is in good shape. If there are any holes then patch them up with 1/4 steel mesh.
Lastly, check all areas where two roof pitches meet each other. For instance, if you have a classic ranch style house with a garage that juts out you might need to check the area where the garage roof and the main house roof meet (if they are different pitches. This creates what we like to call “armpits” in the roof that are common entry points for rodents. Due to their tight area they are often overlooked by roofers, and they also are a natural shelter so rodents are attracted to them. Seal any entry points with flashing or 1/4 inch steel mesh. Remember, one of these entry points needs to have a one way door installed on them. Otherwise you’ll seal the squirrel into your house. Take my advice, you don’t want that.
Once you have the 1 way door installed and all other entry points sealed up you simply bait the outside of the one way door (birdseed, penutbutter, nuts, etc.) to draw any remaining squirrels out of the house.
Note: if there is a nest in the attic then you will need to make sure that you check it for babies. If there are babies then carefully (using gloves) remove them from the attic and place them outside right next to the 1 way door that you installed (make sure to put them on the outside of the house). The mother squirrel will come remove the babies and take them to another location.
Once you’re confident that there is no current activity in the attic go ahead and remove the 1 way door and seal up that hole using flashing or 1/4 inch mesh.
Keep in mind that squirrels will often try to get back into a structure, so make sure your exclusion work is done using high quality materials.
Lastly, once the squirrels have been removed you can pull out any infested insulation and sanitize the crawlspace using a HEPA vacuum and an enzymatic cleaner.
If you have any questions regarding how to remove squirrels from your attic please call or text our team at 503-985-6523.