Squirrels can cause severe damage to your home in the summer. They chew through exterior materials like shingles and vents to get inside. Once indoors, they ruin insulation and gnaw on electrical wiring, creating major fire risks. Our experts use one-way doors to remove them safely.
You might wonder if these small animals can really cause trouble when the weather is warm. Can squirrels damage your home in summer? Absolutely, and the damage can be very serious. When the hot weather arrives, squirrels look for safe, cool places to raise their babies. Your roof and attic provide the perfect shelter from the sun and rain.
When they move into your house, they do not just sit quietly. They have strong teeth that never stop growing, so they chew on almost everything they can find. This constant chewing leads to broken vents, torn shingles, and ruined wires inside your walls. Because you should never try to handle squirrels on your own, our team at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Kitchener is always ready to help protect your property.
In this blog we will show you the surprising ways these creatures can harm your house. You will learn what signs to watch out for as the days get hotter. We will also explain how our trained professionals keep your home safe and secure without harming squirrels.
Can squirrels damage electrical wiring?
Yes, squirrels can and will damage electrical wiring inside your home. They have a natural need to chew to keep their teeth short. When they live in your attic or walls, wires look like the perfect thing to bite.
When a squirrel chews on a wire, it strips away the safe plastic coating. This leaves the metal parts of the wire completely bare. Bare wires can easily spark, which creates a huge fire hazard in your house. Since attics are often filled with dry wood and fluffy insulation, a single spark can start a very dangerous fire.
Electrical Fire Hazards
Squirrels can pose a serious risk to your home’s electrical system. When they get into wall cavities and attics, they often gnaw on electrical wires to keep their teeth from growing too long. This habit can strip away the protective coating on the wires, leaving them exposed and dangerous.
Exposed wires can create sparks, which may start a fire within your home. Squirrels moving around in tight spaces can cause wires to cross and short circuit. These types of electrical issues are not only costly to repair but can also threaten the safety of your household.
To prevent such hazards, it’s important to keep squirrels out of your home and make sure your electrical wiring is up to code. Regular inspections by our licensed electrician can identify any damage caused by pests. Acting quickly to address squirrel problems can reduce the risk of electrical fires and protect your property.
Exterior Chewing and Structural Damage
Squirrels are excellent climbers, which means your roof is easy for them to reach. They cause a lot of harm to the outside of your house during the summer. Here is how they damage your home’s exterior:
- Chewing Through Siding: Squirrels will find weak spots in your house siding. They use their sharp teeth to make small gaps much bigger. Once the hole is big enough, they use it as a daily door to get inside. This leaves your house open to bugs and bad weather.
- Breaking Roof Vents: Plastic roof vents are very easy for squirrels to break. They claw and bite at the covers until the plastic snaps off completely. With the vent broken, they can walk right into your cozy attic. You will then need costly repairs to fix the roof.
- Damaging Fascia Boards: The wooden boards along the edge of your roof are called fascia. Squirrels love to gnaw on this wood to file their teeth down. Over time, the wood becomes weak and starts to rot from the rain. This structural damage can weaken your entire roof line.
Insulation and Hidden Water Damage
Once squirrels get inside your house, they cause a huge mess. They love to tear up the materials meant to keep your house warm and dry. Here is how they ruin your insulation and cause water leaks:
- Flattening Attic Insulation: When squirrels build a nest, they trample all over your fluffy insulation. They pack it down tightly to make a soft bed for their babies. Flat insulation cannot keep your house cool in the summer or warm in the winter. Your energy bills will go up because of this damage.
- Tearing Up Paper and Plastic: To make their nests even softer, squirrels rip up paper, cardboard, and plastic. If you have boxes stored in the attic, they will chew right through them. They will destroy your old photos and important memories. The mess they leave behind is massive and unsafe to touch.
- Causing Roof Leaks: When they chew holes in your roof, they let the rain inside. Water will slowly drip onto your ceiling and down your walls. You might not notice the leak until the water leaves a huge brown stain on your drywall. Hidden water damage can lead to harmful mould growing in your house.
Foul Odours and Biohazards
Having wildlife in your home is not just noisy; it is also very dirty. Squirrels leave behind waste that can make your family sick. Here is how their mess creates health risks:
- Smelly Urine Stains: Because they eat a lot of nuts and seeds, their urine smells very bad. They use the bathroom all over your attic insulation and wooden beams. The liquid can soak right through the floor and stain your bedroom ceiling. The horrible smell will slowly spread throughout your entire house.
- Dangerous Droppings: Squirrels leave droppings everywhere they go. The droppings dry out and can crumble into harmful dust. If you breathe in this dust, you can get very sick. This is why you should never try to clean the mess yourself and should call us instead.
- Bringing in Parasites: Squirrels do not live alone; they carry tiny bugs on their fur. They can bring fleas, ticks, and mites right into your living space. These bugs can bite your pets and your family members. Removing the animals is the only way to get rid of the bugs.
Squirrel Challenges in Kitchener During the Summer
Summer is a very busy time for squirrels in Kitchener. The warm weather gives them plenty of energy to run around and explore. During the late summer, many mothers get ready to have their second group of babies for the year. This means they are desperately looking for a safe, dry place away from predators.
Because Kitchener has many big, beautiful trees, your roof is always within their reach. Branches act like a natural bridge leading right to your shingles. Once they are on your roof, they quickly find tiny gaps to squeeze through. Older homes often have worn-out wood that is very easy for them to chew apart.
Our team knows exactly how local homes are built. We know where the animals like to hide when the Ontario heat gets to be too much. We can spot the hidden entry points that most homeowners miss.
Professional Squirrel Prevention with Our Team
You should never try to handle squirrel problems on your own. Doing the work yourself can be very dangerous, and you might accidentally trap baby squirrels inside. That is why our trained professionals handle every step of the process for you. We focus on safe, humane solutions that protect both your home and the animals.
First, we check every inch of your house to find where they are getting in. We look at the roof, the vents, and the siding. Once we find the holes, we install special one-way doors. These doors let the squirrels walk out, but they cannot open them to get back inside.
After all the squirrels are gone, we seal the holes with strong metal mesh. Their teeth cannot bite through this heavy-duty material. We ensure the job is done right so you never have to worry about them coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do squirrels carry diseases?
Yes, they can carry harmful bacteria and parasites. Squirrels often have fleas and ticks living in their fur, which can spread to your pets. These pests may carry diseases that can affect both animals and humans. It’s always important to handle a squirrel issue quickly to protect your household.
Will squirrels leave my house on their own?
No, squirrels will not leave a safe home on their own. Your attic provides them with shelter from extreme weather and predators, making it the perfect nesting place. Without intervention, they will stay as long as their needs are met. Removing them often requires professional help to ensure they don't return.
How long do squirrels stay inside?
If left undisturbed, squirrels can stay in your home for several months. A mother squirrel will remain until her babies grow large enough to leave the nest. If the space continues to feel safe and secure, they may even return for future nesting seasons unless properly removed and excluded.
How do squirrels get onto my roof?
Squirrels are amazing jumpers and climbers. They can use nearby tree branches, tall fences, and even brick or stucco walls to make their way up to your roof. Once there, they explore the area to find weak spots, like damaged soffits or loose shingles, where they can chew their way inside. Keeping trees trimmed and inspecting your roof regularly can help prevent them from gaining access.
Can squirrels chew through metal?
Squirrels have incredibly strong teeth that can chew through many materials, including wood and plastic. However, they cannot chew through thick, galvanized steel. That is why our team uses heavy-duty metal screens to cover vents and seal potential entry points. These sturdy materials are specifically designed to stop squirrels and protect your home from further damage.
Squirrel Summer Home Damage? Give Us a Call.
Summer should be a time for fun, not for worrying about squirrels in your home. If you hear unusual scratching or running noises overhead, it’s a sign you might have wildlife in your attic or walls. Ignoring it can lead to damage such as chewed wires, ruined insulation, and even foul odours that are costly to fix. Acting quickly can save you time, money, and stress in the long run.
At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Kitchener, we’re here to make the process simple and worry-free. Our team specializes in removing squirrel safely and humanely, using one-way doors that allow animals to leave without harm. Once they’re out, we seal every entry point with durable materials to ensure they don’t come back. You won’t have to worry about handling anything yourself, we take care of every detail with professionalism and care.
Don’t wait for the problem to get worse. Contact us today to schedule an estimate and protect your home before more damage occurs. With our help, you can enjoy a safe and stress-free summer, knowing your house is secure from squirrel intrusions!
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