Squirrels have an annoying habit of claiming your home as their own. This includes using your gutters and downspouts to travel freely around your property.
It’s very common to have squirrels infesting homes in Toronto, Mississauga and other GTA cities, and downspouts are a favourite among squirrel habitats. It is important to remove the squirrels from your downspouts, by either doing it yourself or calling a professional squirrel removal Toronto, before major damage can occur.
What Kind of Damage Can a Squirrel Cause In My Downspouts?
Drainage Problems
The biggest issue is that rainwater won’t be able to drain properly. If a squirrel makes their home in your downspout, the stormwater will build up and block the stormwater.
Squirrel nests are especially tricky to deal with since they can block your entire downspout and be difficult to remove. Additional water damage can occur to your home if the water isn’t able to drain properly.
Dead Squirrels Can Rot In Your Downspouts
Yes, squirrels who climb in your downspouts can remain there until they die. Squirrels can carry a host of diseases such as typhus, ringworm, and plague, and when left to rot in your downspout, the chances of catching a disease can multiply.
Besides affecting adults, rotten carcasses can also affect kids and pets, too. It is especially important to have squirrels removed if you have a family in the house, as some of these diseases can come with harsh flu-like symptoms if contracted.
Squirrels Can Find a Way Into Your Attic
Once a squirrel has become familiar with your downspouts (and perhaps even created a nest there), the rest of your property has opened up to be invaded. Since squirrels are expert tricksters and can find a way into your home even if there is the tiniest hole, making sure squirrels don’t climb your downspouts can help prevent this from happening.
If a squirrel makes a nest in your downspout, babies can join the group and invade your attic. Wood is among a squirrel’s favorite snacks, and making their own holes into attics is a common occurrence in Ontario homes.
The Top 4 Ways To Stop Squirrels From Climbing Your Downspouts
Make Your Own Squirrel Repellant
You can combine red pepper and petroleum jelly and spread it on the insides of your downspouts. This may help in detracting squirrels and making it slippier to climb.
However, it can be difficult to coat the insides of the downspout, especially if a squirrel has already established its den inside. You must also be very cautious of squirrels running out of downspouts and potentially
Use Mothballs
Mothballs are another alternative you can try to get rid of those squirrels. You can toss a few mothballs in the gutter and at the bottom of the downspout.
This method may be worth a try, but is only a temporary solution to the problem. Mothballs are also very toxic not only to humans but to other animals as well, so it is important to make sure pets, children, or other animals do not consume them.
Install Wire Mesh On Your Downspouts
Wire mesh can be installed on the entrances of your downspout to prevent them from coming in. It may be risky to do so, since squirrels can bolt out of the downspout and surprise you if you’re unprepared.
Another major drawback is that it will be harder to clean out your downspout if the wire mesh causes debris to get stuck inside the downspout.
Call a Squirrel Removal Professional
The best and safest option is to call a professional. Professional wildlife removal companies will be able to get rid of your squirrels with high success.
Unlike the other methods, professionals will be able to provide more permanent solutions to your squirrel problems.
Squirrels in Toronto, Canada are especially tricky since it’s extremely difficult to get rid of them without breaking wildlife laws. However, if you don’t remove the squirrels from invading your downspouts, major damage to your house can occur. Consider hiring a squirrel removal professional for the safest and best method of getting rid of squirrels.