A squirrel touched a power line and started a brush fire southeast of Parker in July 2026. Five nearby homes had to be evacuated, though firefighters kept the structures safe. You can read more here: Denver7 — Douglas County Brush Fire. What happened on that power line outside can happen inside your attic and when it does, there’s no fire truck on the way to stop the damage.
You might think a small animal in your attic is no big deal. But these creatures chew constantly to wear down their teeth and they don’t stop when they hit electrical wiring. Chewed wires inside your walls and attic are one of the most common causes of house fires that homeowners never see coming. The damage stays hidden until something goes very wrong.
At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Colorado, we respond to these calls all the time. In this blog, we walk you through the damage these animals cause inside homes, the warning signs to look for, and how our team gets them out and protects your home before things get worse.
Is It Bad to Have Squirrels in Your House?
Yes! It’s bad, and the risks are more serious than most people think. These animals chew wiring, rip up insulation, build nests near heat sources, and leave behind droppings and urine that smell and carry bacteria. A small attic problem can turn into a big repair bill very fast.
The fire risk alone is reason enough to act right away. Chewed electrical wiring inside walls and attics is one of the top causes of house fires in the United States and the risk gets bigger every day these animals stay inside. The damage can’t be seen from your living space, which means most homeowners don’t know how bad it is until someone checks the attic.
The longer they stay, the more damage they do. They don’t sit in one spot. They move through the whole attic, chew along wire runs, and find new things to gnaw on throughout the space. A problem that’s been going on for a few weeks is very different from one that’s been going on for months. Call our team at the first sign of activity – that’s always the right first move.
Why Squirrels Chew Wires and Building Materials
These animals chew constantly. Not because they’re hungry, but because their teeth never stop growing. Chewing is how they keep their teeth at a usable length. Everything in your attic is a target. Here’s what gets hit most often:
- Electrical Wiring: Wiring runs through your attic in long stretches that these animals chew as they move around. The plastic coating around wires is easy to gnaw through, and they don’t stop at one spot. They chew along the whole run. Exposed wiring is a direct fire risk, and it’s completely out of sight until someone inspects the attic.
- Wood Framing and Structural Elements: The wood framing in your attic – rafters, joists, and support beams – is another target. These animals chew wood to wear their teeth down and to gather material for nesting. Chewing in the same spot over and over weakens the structure, especially if more than one animal is present or the problem comes back season after season.
- Attic Insulation: Insulation gets torn up for nest building and packed down by repeated foot traffic as these animals move through the attic. Both outcomes make your insulation less effective and push up your heating and cooling bills. Damaged or contaminated insulation may need to be replaced and that work needs to be done by our professional team, not the homeowner.
- HVAC Components and Ductwork: Flexible ducts and HVAC parts that run through the attic are also at risk. Squirrels chew through duct insulation and can damage the duct itself, which reduces airflow and hurts air quality in your home. Ductwork damage from attic activity is one of the less obvious problems our team looks for during every inspection.
Warning Signs Squirrels Are in Your Attic
These animals are active during the day, which means the signs they leave behind show up during daylight hours. Here’s what to look for if you think they may have gotten into your attic:
- Scratching and Running Sounds During the Day: Unlike mice that are mostly active at night, these animals move around during the day. Fast, light scratching or thumping sounds from the attic or ceiling in the morning or early afternoon often point right to them. If you hear these sounds at the same time every day, something is very likely living above you.
- Chew Marks Around the Roofline or Entry Points: Gnaw marks on wood trim, soffits, and the edges of roofline gaps are visible signs of chewing. If you see fresh marks around a gap or opening on the outside of your home, these animals are likely using that spot to get in. Do not try to seal the gap yourself before our team has confirmed what’s inside.
- Droppings in the Attic or Along Ceiling Edges: Droppings found in the attic or near the ceiling edge below are a clear sign of active presence. Do not touch or disturb them. They carry bacteria and need to be handled by our team with the right protective gear. If you find droppings during a routine attic check, call us right away.
- Nesting Material in Insulation or Near Vents: A pile of leaves, shredded insulation, or other debris packed into a corner of the attic or near a vent is a nest. Nests near heat sources or electrical parts are especially dangerous. If you spot nesting material during an attic check, do not disturb it. Call our team and let us look at the full situation first.
How Branches and Roof Damage Help Squirrels Gain Access
Tree branches that hang over or touch your roofline are the most common way these animals get onto your roof. They’re great climbers and will walk right to the end of a branch and drop down. From there, it’s a short trip to every weak spot along the roofline: soffit gaps, loose flashing, damaged shingles, and worn vent covers are all entry points they find and use fast.
Roof damage plays a big role too. A shingle lifted by wind, a cracked soffit, or a vent cover that’s come loose over time creates exactly the kind of opening these animals look for. They don’t create entry points out of solid surfaces, they find and use weaknesses that are already there. This is why storm damage and old rooflines lead to so many attic calls.
Colorado’s dry, windy climate wears roofing materials down faster and that creates more chances for these animals to find a way in. Homes with big trees nearby and any roofline wear are at higher risk. After a windstorm or hailstorm, your roofline should be checked by our team too, not just a roofer. The gaps a roofer looks for and the gaps a wildlife entry point creates are often different things.
Why Electrical Damage Requires Immediate Professional Attention
The Parker brush fire shows what happens when these animals get near electrical systems. Inside your home, the same risk exists, just hidden from view. Here’s why electrical damage from attic activity needs to be treated as urgent:
- Chewed Wiring Creates a Hidden Fire Hazard: A wire that’s been chewed through or had its coating stripped doesn’t start a fire right away. But it creates the conditions for one, from heat building up, arcing, or a spark near nesting material. These hazards are completely invisible from your living space. Our team flags all visible wiring damage during the inspection and works with the right professionals to get it fixed.
- Nests Near Electrical Components Are Especially Dangerous: Squirrels build nests out of dry leaves, insulation fibers, and other debris – all of it flammable. When nests end up near electrical boxes, junction points, or heat sources in the attic, the fire risk goes up a lot. A nest sitting next to a damaged wire or a heat-producing component is a serious hazard that needs our professionals (not a homeowner) to deal with.
- Damage Can Be Spread Across the Full Attic: Squirrels move through the whole attic, which means chewing damage isn’t limited to one spot. A single animal can damage wiring in several places during its time in the attic. Our inspection covers the full attic (not just what’s easy to see), so the full scope of any wiring damage gets found before repairs begin.
- An Electrician Needs to Check the Wiring After Removal: Once our team has removed the animals and sealed the entry points, a licensed electrician needs to inspect the wiring before the attic is considered safe. We work alongside the other professionals needed to make sure every part of the damage gets properly fixed, not just the wildlife removal.
Squirrel Concerns in Colorado: What You Must Know
Colorado’s climate and landscape make it a common area for squirrel activity around homes. The state’s mix of urban neighborhoods, suburban areas, and open space gives these animals easy access to residential properties, especially homes with big trees nearby. Fox squirrels and Abert’s squirrels are both common across the Front Range and both stay active all year long.
Fall is the busiest season for attic entry in Colorado. As it gets colder, these animals look for warm, sheltered spots to store food and wait out winter and attics are one of their top choices. But unlike some other wildlife, they don’t go fully dormant in winter. That means the damage keeps building all season long if the problem isn’t dealt with before the cold sets in.
The Front Range gets regular wind events and hailstorms that wear down roofing materials and create entry points. Colorado homeowners should treat storm damage as a wildlife risk, not just a roofing issue. Our team works across Colorado and knows the seasonal patterns, local property types, and weather conditions that make attic calls so common here.
How Humane Removal and Exclusion Help Prevent Recurring Activity
When these animals have gotten into your attic, call our team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control right away. We start with a full inspection, checking the attic for signs of activity, damage, and nesting, and checking the full exterior for every entry point that’s been used or could be used. We look at the whole picture before we put a plan together.
We use one-way door systems that let these animals leave the attic on their own without being able to get back in. This is a humane approach that works without trapping, relocating, or using poison. Once we’ve confirmed the attic is clear, we seal every entry point with strong materials: steel mesh, professional-grade sealants, and reinforced vent covers that hold up against repeated attempts to get back in.
Prevention is what makes the solution last. After removal and exclusion are done, we deal with the conditions that made your home easy to get into in the first place – overhanging branches, worn roofline materials, and damaged vent covers all get flagged as part of our assessment. Our goal is to make your attic a place these animals can’t get back into and to back that up with work that holds up through Colorado’s tough weather season after season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one squirrel cause that much damage?
Yes. A single animal can chew through multiple wire runs, tear up a large section of insulation, and build a nest near an electrical component in a short time. The damage isn't limited to one small area - these animals move through the whole attic as they explore.
How do I know if the wiring in my attic has been damaged?
You likely won't know without an inspection, which is exactly what makes chewed wiring so dangerous. Our team flags all visible wiring damage during the attic check, and we recommend a licensed electrician look at the wiring after removal to confirm what needs to be fixed.
Can these animals start a fire inside my home?
Yes. Chewed wiring, nests near heat sources, and damaged electrical parts all create fire risk. The Parker brush fire shows what happens when these animals interact with electrical systems and the same risk exists inside any attic where they've been active.
How do they get back in after I think the problem is solved?
Usually through an entry point that wasn't found and sealed. These animals are persistent and will find any gap that's left open. Our exclusion work covers every entry point, not just the most obvious one, so there's no gap left for them to come back through.
What time of year are these animals most likely to get into my attic in Colorado?
Fall is the peak season as temperatures drop and squirrels look for warm shelter. But they stay active through winter, so the damage keeps going if they're not removed before the cold sets in. Spring is also a busy time as females look for nesting spots.
Should I go into my attic to check for damage myself?
We recommend calling our team for an inspection rather than going up on your own. Droppings, urine, and nesting material carry health risks, and disturbing an active nest or entry area can make the removal process harder. Let our team handle the assessment safely.
Small Animal, Big Damage: Don’t Wait to Find Out How Bad It Got
A squirrel in your attic is not a small problem. It’s a fire hazard, a structural risk, and a health concern all in one. The Parker brush fire is a clear reminder of what these animals can do when they get near electrical systems. Inside your attic, the same kind of damage is happening quietly and out of sight – until it isn’t.
Call our team as soon as you notice the signs. Daytime sounds in the ceiling, chew marks around the roofline, or droppings in the attic are all reasons to call right away. Don’t wait to see how it plays out – let our team assess the full picture and handle everything safely.
At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Colorado, our team is well prepared for your biggest squirrel problem. Contact us today to request an estimate and find out how we can remove these animals and protect your home from the damage they leave behind.
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