Answer
Although squirrels are undoubtedly cute creatures that can be very entertaining to watch, they can also be destructive and cause damage to your property.
The lead vent pipes that protrude from many house roofs can be a target for squirrels who chew on the metal to wear down their continually growing incisor teeth. Lead is used as a covering for vent pipes because it doesn’t corrode and is long-lasting. Unfortunately, lead is also a soft metal that squirrels can easily chew right through.
Damage to the lead allows water to seep between the vent pipe and the roof, from where it finds its way into your home, often causing extensive, costly damage.
Take the following steps to prevent squirrels from damaging your lead vent pipes or call our squirrel removal services:
Deterrents
- If there’s nothing for squirrels to eat, they won’t set up home in your garden. So, remove items such as bowls of pet food and bird feeders from your backyard, and make sure that garbage cans are fitted with rodent-proof lids.
- Squirrels use trees as highways and will readily jump onto your roof from a neighbouring tree. Trim back tree branches to at least six to eight feet from your home.
- Stop squirrels from climbing trees close to your house by fixing a piece of metal sheeting around the tree trunk six to eight feet above the ground. Use springs to secure the sheet in place so that it doesn’t restrict the tree’s growth.
Protect the pipe
- Cover the lead vent pipe with a piece of a stovepipe or a sleeve made of sheet metal to stop the squirrels from damaging the pipe. Use metal adhesive to secure the sleeve.
- Take a piece of galvanized cloth that is slightly wider in circumference than the pipe, and roll it up to form a sleeve. Make a top for the sleeve by cutting a circle of the cloth and fixing it to the sleeve with metal wire. Slip the sleeve over the vent pipe to form a squirrel-proof cage.