Squirrels in the Attic Can Be Dangerous

Have you ever been watching a little TV and hear some scratching or other strange noises coming from your attic? While you may have written it off as simply your imagination, if it becomes a common occurrence, you may have squirrel issues.

An attic full of squirrels may sound like a good time to some of you. All those cute little fluffy tails and beady black eyes are adorable to many. However, those harmless-looking chittering squirrels can actually cause quite a problem and they may even be dangerous.

Squirrels Can be a Menace

If squirrels have decided to sublet your attic, you shouldn’t simply welcome your new upstairs neighbors because they can actually pose quite a threat to your household.

Here are a few of the things that can be damaged due to squirrels:

• Your Wiring: Squirrels, like most rodents, love to chew on things. In fact, a squirrel’s front teeth are always growing, which means it will have to do a lot of chewing to keep it in check. The wires in your attic make the perfect squirrel chew toy. Unfortunately, they can also cause a house fire when squirrels decide to snack on them.
• Your Insulation: The pink stuff in the attic that makes you severely itchy is called insulation, and it is a crucial component in our home. It helps to regulate the temperature inside your home by keeping in the heat or the cool air that is put out by the HVAC system. Squirrels like to use the insulation as their own personal litter box, which means you will have to replace the insulation to keep things running as they should.
• Your Exterior: The squirrels didn’t use the front door when they moved in. It is much more likely that they chewed their way inside your attic which put a substantially sized hole in the exterior of your home.
• Your Hygiene: As the squirrels continue living in your attic, the amount of urine and feces will increase. The droppings of squirrels have been known to cause salmonella. Plus, it can start causing your home to smell, and it can be very expensive to clean and replace everything the squirrels have ruined.

The Paths Squirrels Take Into Your Home

If you’ve ever sat in the park and watched the squirrels in action, then you already know how well they can climb and how far they can jump. It is no surprise that the squirrels can find ways into a home when they want to. The following are just some of the ways squirrels take to get into your house:

• Roof Edges
• Gutters
• Gaps in Construction
• Chewing through Week Areas
• Vents
•  Chimneys

Getting Rid of the Squirrels

If you are suddenly faced with a squirrel problem, you can get rid of them in a humane manner by calling SWAT Wildlife. The experienced technicians are fully insured and trained in the best methods for removing animals from your home. So, if you ever hear a bump in the night, don’t simply ignore it. Call SWAT Wildlife to take care of it.