As a homeowner, it’s important to educate yourself on how to identify a wildlife problem and take steps to prevent it. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key signs that squirrels have invaded your home, the potential dangers they pose, and most importantly, how to get rid of squirrels once and for all. Whether you’re dealing with a current infestation or want to prevent one from happening, wildlife removal in Coquitlam is a serious matter that requires prompt attention and proper handling.
As we retreat indoors during the colder months, we may unknowingly be sharing our living spaces with some unwanted visitors: squirrels. These rodents can turn your Coquitlam home into their own personal winter retreat. From attics to walls, these persistent rodents will find a way to make themselves at home. While they may seem cute from a distance, their presence can cause significant damage and pose health risks.
That’s why squirrel removal in Coquitlam is critical to maintaining a safe and comfortable living environment. In this blog post, we explore the most common ways animals enter and nest in homes and offer tips on how to get rid of squirrels humanely and effectively. So, if you’ve been hearing strange scurrying sounds in your walls lately, keep reading to learn how to evict these unwanted guests.
Why Your Coquitlam Home Attracts Squirrels
Typically, squirrels are attracted to your home due to three primary factors: accessibility, food sources, and shelter. Identifying these elements can help you understand why these creatures have taken a liking to your attic or walls.
Accessibility
One of the biggest reasons they invade Coquitlam homes is simply because they can. Squirrels are excellent climbers and can reach even the most secluded corners of your house. Any small openings or structural weaknesses can serve as gateways for these critters.
Food Sources
Around your Coquitlam home, you might inadvertently be providing an all-you-can-eat buffet. Bird feeders, fruit trees, and unsecured trash bins are prime feeding locations. Once these creatures identify a consistent food source, they’re likely to set up shop nearby – maybe inside your walls or attic.
Shelter
Lastly, the shelter your home provides is irresistible to wildlife, especially during the colder months when they’re seeking warm places to nest and reproduce. Attics, walls, and even vents can become cozy retreats for these persistent home invaders.
In essence, your Coquitlam home might be unintentionally rolling out the welcome mat for squirrels. But don’t worry, figuring out why these creatures are drawn to your home is the first step towards effective removal.
Entry Points Used to Invade Your Home
Your home might seem fortress-like to you, but to a squirrel, it’s a puzzle waiting to be solved. These small creatures can fit through surprisingly small openings. When it comes to finding a way in, they’re rather resourceful. Let’s look at some common entry points that these crafty creatures use:
Roof and Gables
Squirrels love to skitter across rooftops. They’ll use their sharp claws and teeth to exploit weak spots in shingles, roofing material, or the fascia. For them, overhanging branches offer easy access to your roof, turning attic vents or damaged shingles into doors.
Chimneys
One might argue that Santa isn’t the only one who comes down the chimney. Uncovered chimneys are essentially open invitations for squirrels on the roof. They’ll slide down and explore, eventually nesting in the dark, cozy area. They can also chew their way through chimney caps to get inside.
Soffits and Eaves
Soffits and eaves are particularly vulnerable as they are often made of softer material that they are able to chew through. A small hole in these areas can lead straight into your attic, offering a perfect nesting spot.
Plumbing Vents and Utility Lines
Squirrels are agile climbers and love to use utility lines as highways, scampering across them with ease. They use plumbing stacks and vents as entrances, squeezing into the smallest of them.
Recognizing these potential entry points can help in preventing an invasion. It’s always wise to periodically inspect these areas for any signs of squirrel activity including scratch marks, chewed materials, or even hearing mysterious scratching sounds from within these locations.
Preventing Entry: Tips for Securing Your Home
Keeping wildlife out of your cozy Coquitlam home requires a proactive approach. By taking preventive measures, squirrels can be deterred before they even consider your home for their next hideout. So, how do you go about it? Here are some tried and tested methods:
Trim Trees and Branches
As agile climbers, squirrels use trees and branches as their runways, which often lead straight to your rooftops. By keeping your trees and any overhanging branches well-trimmed and away from your house, you make it harder for these rodents to leap onto your roof. A distance of about 6 to 8 feet should suffice.
Seal Entry Points
Turn your attention to the exteriors of your home. Look out for any possible entrances like cracks, openings, or loose shingles, especially at junction points where the walls meet the roof or around the utility lines.
Maintaining a Clean Surrounding
Keeping your yard clean can significantly discourage squirrels from inhabiting your property. Remove dead trees, clear up any fallen fruits, and secure your garbage cans to limit food sources. It’s also advisable to regularly clean up any piles of leaves or debris in your yard as these tend to provide ideal hiding spots.
Install Guards
An effective way of denying access to your home is by installing guards. Adding these to your chimneys, drainage pipes, and power lines creates a barrier that squirrels find impossible to bypass. Guards are usually slippery or rotate, making it difficult for them to gain a firm grip and climb over.
Preventing an invasion is the best defence against these persistent critters. Being vigilant and maintaining your home will surely go a long way. However, if the pesky rodents have already settled, don’t panic. There are professional solutions to fall back on.
Signs You Have Unwanted Visitors in Your Attic
Just as you’d notice an uninvited guest in your home, there are telltale signs that squirrels have set up camp in your attic. Recognizing these signs is half the battle, as it can alert you to a problem before it becomes a full-blown infestation.
Noises Within the Walls and Ceilings
Squirrels are active creatures, particularly during the day. If you hear scratching or scampering sounds coming from your ceilings or within your walls during daylight hours, you may have a situation on your hands. While nighttime noises may indicate other wildlife, daytime scuffling is a strong indicator of rodent activity.
Unusual Pet Behaviour
If you have a pet, they may notice the squirrels before you do. Dogs and cats are quick to pick up on the noises and smells associated with these critters. Constant barking at the ceiling, intense staring at a seemingly arbitrary wall, or obsessively sniffing at a certain spot could be your pet’s way of pointing out that you’ve got uninvited visitors.
Exterior Damage and Droppings
Squirrels are known for their destructive nature. They can chew through a wide range of materials to gain access to your attic. If you spot any chewing or gnawing marks on the exterior parts of your home like wooden panels, vents, or soffits, this could be a good indication that these rodents have moved in. Additionally, spotting droppings around your property is another sign of their presence. These are often small, cylindrical, and dark — similar in size to large grains of rice.
Nests and Food Debris
Squirrels mark their territory by building nests and hoarding food. In your attic, look out for nests made of leaves, sticks, and other debris, typically located in the corners or nestled between beams. If you start noticing shells, pits, husks, or other food debris in strange places, it’s likely they are the culprits.
The Role of Professionals: How to Get Rid of Squirrels
At the end of the day, while DIY preventative measures can prove helpful, there are times when the wildlife invasion becomes too complex or risky to manage on your own. That’s where the professionals step in. With their extensive knowledge, robust tools, and tested methods, they can efficiently secure your home from intrusions, restoring your peaceful abode. Their services range from identifying weak points in your home structure to devising customized prevention strategies. Most importantly, they can ensure that your squirrel problems are dealt with in a humane and ethical manner, respecting the important role these creatures play in our ecosystem.
So, if you’re struggling with persistent squirrel intrusions or simply want to safeguard your Coquitlam home from potential future invasions, don’t hesitate to call the animal control professionals at Skedaddle. It could be the smartest decision you make for your home and sanity. Take action now, prevent wildlife infestation and live with peace of mind. Remember, your home is your castle – keep it safe, secure, and squirrel-free.
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