Signs of Squirrels in Your Home

When the colder seasons come, squirrels are on the lookout to find a cozy place to call home and raise a family. Unfortunately, that means your home is a perfect target for these critters. Squirrels can enter a home through only a 1.5-inch hole such as in your soffits, vents, chimneys, and many other places. Once content in your home, squirrels can cause catastrophic damage to your home and health. 

Squirrel infestations must be taken seriously, as they can become aggressive when approached. Should you need help from a professional company, Summit Pest Management is the local business for nuisance wildlife control.

Common Signs Squirrels Have Gotten Into Your Home  

• Increased Squirrel Population: If you notice more squirrels around your property than usual, your home may be the new hub of squirrel activity. Monitor squirrel activity on your roof, nearby trees, and power poles.
• Scratching in Attics or Walls: Squirrels are known to scratch and scurry throughout where they live, especially in the mornings and evenings when squirrels are leaving or returning to their nest. 
• Squirrel Footprints: In the wet or cold months, small tracks can be seen in mud, rain, or snow. A common trick is to place flour on the ground near suspected areas and look at a later time to see if the squirrels ran through the area. 
• Teeth Mark Damage: Squirrels are constantly chewing and don’t have much discretion with what they are chewing. Items include wooden beams, soffits, ductwork, and even electrical wiring. Finding pieces of insulation or wood chips in unusual places is a good indicator of squirrel activity. 
• Pungent Odors: If squirrels live within your property, they will unfortunately urinate and defecate in your home. There is also a likelihood that they will die in your home and remain there until removed. These smells are not only awful but can be dangerous as well since squirrels carry harmful diseases. 
• Droppings: Seeing squirrel droppings in your garage or attic is a sign of infestation. Again, be cautious since their droppings can carry Salmonella, Leptospirosis, and many other diseases and bacteria.
• Signs of Water Damage on Ceilings or Walls: While water damage alone would be devastating, squirrels make it worse. This damage is the compiled urine and feces piling up and absorbing into your home which can cause Bubbling, staining, and peeling in your walls.

Expert Squirrel Control

The best way to ensure that squirrels don’t enter your home is to monitor and seal any potential entry points. This can help prevent future infestations but doesn’t necessarily address the current problem. While squirrels may appear cute on the outside, they are still wild animals and should be handled by a wildlife control expert. At Summit Pest Management, our licensed wildlife removal team can safely and humanely remove wild squirrels from your home. Let Summit Pest Management help you get your home back. Call today!