Picture this: you wake up one day, only to hear the grinding sound of wood up in your attic. Could it be a robber? Or maybe the trees are swaying a little too heavy today? You focus your ears as you hear the gnawing sound once more, and your heart sinks as you realize something very, very bad has happened: a squirrel is stuck in your attic. Please avoid confronting squirrels if they created a nest in your attic call our squirrel removal service in Toronto immediately.
What Kind of Damage Can Squirrels Cause in My Attic?
Do not fret! Attics are a perfect place for squirrels to nest in, and many people have faced this problem before.
The only real worry is if you don’t take action soon, as squirrels can cause massive damage to your attic if left to their own devices. Let’s start with one of the major problems…
Wood Damage
Squirrels are notorious for chewing, and wood is the equivalent of what chocolate chip cookies is to the cookie monster. When inside, squirrels can tear up the paint ur walls and eat holes in the wooden floor. They can chew through the wooden support beams, causing major damage to the structure of your attic. And not to mention the other more nasty problem…
Poop and Pee
Where squirrels go, there’s bound to be the leftover already-digested goodies from last night’s walnut feast. Or, perhaps in this case… from the very wood in your home.
These wildlife droppings may seem harmless, but when trapped in a dark, enclosed space for a long time, bacteria and a host of other pathogens can accumulate. This can be very dangerous, as humans can contract up to 42 different diseases from wildlife feces.
And it can take many, many hours to cleanout. Squirrels defecate and urinate frequently, and if you don’t clean it up quickly, it can leave dark stains and bad smells on your ceiling. Yuck!
Electrical Wire Damage
Yes, a squirrel in your attic may cause a major fire hazard or electrical problem in your household. Along with a squirrel’s favourite snack, wood, electrical wires act as the wood’s branches. And squirrels love to chew on these!
Faults in electrical wiring account for more than $600 million in electrical fire property damage. If a squirrel has gotten to your electrical wire, then chances are you might have a fire just waiting to happen in your very own home. While this may seem scary, there are ways to get rid of squirrels…
The 4 Best Ways to Repel Squirrels From Your Attic
Ultrasonic Devices
These devices are the perfect little tool you can use to scare away pesky squirrels in your attic. They’re motion-activated, so any movement it detects within your attic will blast a wave of electronic sound (sometimes audible or not, it depends on which setting or device you choose).
Since squirrels use their great sense of hearing to communicate, ultrasonic devices absolutely terrify squirrels! You can buy them in home improvement stores or online.
The best thing about these devices is that you’ll be able to scare them away (sometimes it may take longer) without killing squirrels, which can leave a big mess in your attic from the dead bodies.
Set up a Squirrel Trap
You can buy a metal cage for squirrels to be trapped in– this method is also cruelty-free as you can release the squirrel back into the wild after you caught it (make sure to seal up all the holes in your attic before you do!).
You can put a small glob of peanut butter or seeds in the trap to catch the squirrels. More than one squirrel, though, may require multiple trapping sessions, so practicing patience is important as well.
Use a Squirrel Repellant
Buying a commercially-available squirrel repellant is an easy method to get rid of squirrels in your attic. Simply spray around the attic and the squirrels will move out, hating the scent. You can also buy predator urine in order to mimic the scent of a fox.
Alternatively, you can make your own natural squirrel repellant by mixing in a large spoonful of cayenne pepper powder, one teaspoon of mild dish soap, and a gallon of water. Fill a spray container and start spraying the walls, floors, and corners of your attic!
Use the Power of Light
Squirrels generally like to sleep at the same time as us and like to be active during the day. If you have a bright light in the attic, you can try leaving it on. Keeping a light on during the night may disturb a squirrel’s sleep, and cause it to leave.
If that’s not strong enough, take a deep dive and use a strobe light! While we don’t expect to see squirrels dancing, the strobe light can cause stress and cause the squirrel to decide to move on.
If All Else Fails… Call Our Squirrel Removal Services
Still, have squirrels stuck in your attic? Have no fear. The last-ditch method to get rid of squirrels is to call professional squirrel removal services.
Your local wildlife removal will be able to get rid of squirrels fast and effectively, and help you clean after any mess they’ve made as well (and trust me… if a squirrel has been in your attic for any longer than 30 minutes, there’s bound to be a mess up there). Find out more by reading our other articles!