Squirrels In The Attic: Can These Adorable Rodents Damage Your Attic?

Squirrels In The Attic, Can These Cute Rodents Cause Damage To Your Attic?

No matter where you reside, the description of squirrels is likely to be very consistent. Their tail is bushy and lengthy. The animals are brown, black, or gray in color, with huge dark eyes and little ears. Squirrels have strong teeth and small hands with keen claws that allow them to climb trees fast. They like to bury food in the ground or hide it in trees, like acorns. They'll either build nests in trees or burrow underground when it comes to finding a place to reside.

Squirrels can be adorable, for sure. When a swarm of squirrels decides to take up residence in your attic, though, it's everything but adorable. Squirrels may cause a lot of sorts that you would not expect, and getting rid of them can be a pain. You're not alone if you have a squirrel problem. For squirrels or other pests, an old roof might be an excellent entry point. Squirrels are notorious for breaking into homes, primarily attics.

Squirrels are one of the most prevalent mammals on the planet, as well as one of the most common pests for most local wildlife control companies are called. Why? Squirrels can cause damage to property while looking for a spot to nest and eat. Whether squirrels are rodents like mice or rats is one of the most frequently asked inquiries most animal removal specialists receive. We'll look at what squirrels are and how they're similar to rodents in this piece.

What Are The Signs That Squirrels Are Living In Your Attic?

Squirrel damage is one of the most destructive to homes and structures. The rodent is always chewing. The teeth of a squirrel are always developing, therefore they must gnaw on hard items to maintain them sharp and trim. This is why we see squirrels eating sticks, bark, and wood. Here are five symptoms that your home is infested with squirrels.

1. Sounds of scratching, chewing, or rustling can be heard coming from the attic or walls. When squirrels are in the nest, this is frequently heard in the morning or evening.
2. It has a foul odor. If their droppings and urine are not adequately cleaned, they will begin to stink. The odor of the nest will become musty or stale.
3. Actual droppings are depicted in this image. Seeing excrement, in addition to smelling it, is a good sign. Make certain, though, that you have the correct animal.
4. Squirrel excrement resembles that of many other species.
5. Your home will be harmed. Siding, soffits, or vents with holes. Wires chewed, insulation damage, or signs of a nest

What Kind of Attic Damage Can Squirrels Cause?

Squirrels are known for chewing attic wiring or causing damage to attic insulation. However, the amount of damage they may cause to the outside of the attic, as well as the exterior of the house, is far more severe. As other squirrel litters are born in or around the house, these squirrels will grow up, leave the nest, and look for new places to make their own nests in the attic. Squirrel populations will continue to eat holes around the outside of the attic, sometimes in every corner of the house, if they are not controlled. The longer squirrels are allowed to reside in an attic, the more access points they will construct.

Once squirrels have gained access to your home, they can do extensive damage. By shredding your insulation and wood structure, the squirrels will be able to find bedding material. They will also chew electrical wiring, perhaps causing a fire. They can also gnaw through PVC, causing flooding and water damage. Essentially, they can do enough harm to necessitate filing an insurance claim. The only difficulty is that rodent damage is typically not covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. However, it can result in additional damage, such as if a fire breaks out or a pipe bursts, causing flooding.

What Are The Factors Affecting the Extent of Squirrel Damage in Attics?

In the attic, squirrels may do a lot of damage. However, this is not always the case. Many factors influence this, including the amount of time the squirrels have been in the attic, the number of squirrels, the presence or absence of electric wires or water pipes, the type of insulation, the squirrels' disposition, and so on. This is why an in-depth attic check is critical. You can learn more about what the squirrels have done and what kind of damage they may have caused. Look for locations where the insulation has been trampled, as well as trails and tunnels in the insulation. Look for feces and urine traces left by squirrels. Hundreds of thousands of fecal pellets should be seen. Squirrels frequently, but not always, transport nesting material into the attic. Leaves and other plant materials are the most common culprits. A nest of baby squirrels can be seen here. Look for chewed wood and pay special attention to electric wires to see whether they've been chewed and provide a fire hazard.

Squirrels are rodents who enjoy chewing and are attracted to wires for some reason. Also, squirrels in the attic do die from time to time, and a dead squirrel in the attic is another type of "damage" in the sense that it has a foul odor and attracts flies! The feces and urine left behind by the squirrels may produce minor odor issues, but they are also a possible source of diseases or illnesses. Don't get your hands on them! Waste left in the attic can encourage the formation of mold, attract vermin-like cockroaches, and encourage a pheromone fragrance that will attract more squirrels in the future.

Conclusion

Squirrels aren't thought to be as deadly as rats or mice since they look cute and adorable. Squirrels can enter homes and other structures through the walls and attics. Squirrels may also eat their way into food in kitchens, although most squirrels are on the lookout for acorns and tree nuts, and chew their way into attics via roof tiles and walls. Squirrels are normally looking for a location to nest and nurture their young when they eat their way inside, not for human prey.

Within the walls and attics, squirrels might begin to reproduce and multiply. As they gnaw more holes in walls and roofs, this can cause additional damage to homes and businesses. Because squirrels are territorial, it's difficult to get rid of them once they've built their nests.

Property damage is the top concern for homeowners when it comes to squirrels. Many times during the day or night, homeowners will hear squirrels racing about in basements, attics, or between the walls. They can also locate holes in walls and roofs left by other pests. Contact your local squirrel control office to discuss squirrel treatment, removal, and preventive programs to stop this squirrel attic damage and get rid of the infesting squirrels and their nests.