Squirrels in the attic

Submitted by GT540MGamer t3_yv1mv6 in newhampshire

I've got some furry squatters in my attic, which is really more of a side-attic adjacent a second floor bedroom, but which does not have any access to except for a slatted vent type opening on the exterior wall (which the squirrels have infiltrated through). Wondering if anyone has any tips on ensuring the squirrels leave so I can re-seal the opening. Worst case scenario is I take a section of drywall out to get myself inside there but I'd rather avoid it if possible.

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xSpatulax t1_iwbzolo wrote

I used to work for a pest control company. We would install one way door for them to exit out of then seal them up after a few weeks.

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ennature t1_iwc6wby wrote

had a fam of flying squirrels in a knee wall 2 years ago, they got in through a hole in the soffit. I screwed a one way door thing to the hole and left it for awhile. Boy did they scrape the hell out of the flashing around the one way door trying to get back in!

Eventually I had to cut open the knee wall from the inside to clean it out and re-insulate. It was a mess but no dead squirrels were trapped inside.

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FormerRunnerAgain t1_iwc75k3 wrote

If you are sure that you know all the entry/exit points, seal them all, and install a one-way door - you should be able to get one at a hardware store. Either leave the door in place or after you think they have all vacated, remove the door and seal the hole.

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leckmir t1_iwc155p wrote

We had flying squirrels and bats in our attic a few years ago. When it got very hot or very cold they would occasionally migrate through various cavities into the main house where the temperature was controlled. We had to buy a large net to grab them. Eventually we hired a crew that went around the roof edge sealing up any openings and installing a one-way exit ( a mesh tube about 6 inches long). At dusk we sat in my truck in the driveway and watched them all exit and their frustration at not being able to get back in (nowhere to land). They made such a mess in the attic that we had all of the insulation removed and replaced. Total cost was around $10k. Best to fix this problem early.

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projectvenus11 t1_iwc7avs wrote

Seconding the advice to bring in pros sooner than later; squirrels will absolutely destroy your insulation. We had the same problem (plus mice) and have had nothing but good experiences with JP Pest with both the initial mitigation work and ongoing maintenance.

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thehangel t1_iwcmi9i wrote

I highly recommend these guys, who evicted squirrels from my attic last winter and bats this summer:

https://www.wildlifexteamnewhampshire.com/

Sales NH (Justin, Pete, or Lori)

salesNH@wildlifexteam.com

Office: 603-520-7977

I seriously hope never to have to see them again, but they did a great job.

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jjmenace t1_iwf25xz wrote

It's going to be flying squirrels. I had to hire JP Pest Control. They were in the attic-space in one of my dormers and I had no access to that area from my attic. They did a good job locking them out and I was able to pick off 9 of them with a .22 eating at the bird feeder.

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DemonKnight42 t1_iwg5nt0 wrote

This is the right answer. One way doors. They leave and can’t come back. Not cheap though.

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jkarovskaya t1_iwek08s wrote

do not wait on getting rid of squirrels inside this time of year

Besides destroying insulation, shingles, and quickly gnawing their way into new area of the house, they can burn your house down if they chew through wiring

get this done soon friend

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powpowpowpowpowp t1_iwc0m9u wrote

If it were me, I would probably call in professionals to get a thorough inspection and make sure all the squirrels were out and any possible entry points were addressed. The other benefit of pros is that you’ll usually get a warranty period where they have to come back (at no charge) if the problem wasn’t solved.

If you are set on DIY, the best bet would probably be trapping and removing them yourself. Live traps go for about $30. You would however need to access that attic to set up and check the trap(s).

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HowardNelsonJr t1_iwdt8wv wrote

Pay pros and don’t fuck around imo. But be prepared for the cost. Just spent 1,000 getting rid of bats. Squirrels are worse.. get the pros in before they do too much damage

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Ok_Low_1287 t1_iwgnnez wrote

I cut down all the nearby trees. No more squirrels since.

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foobar_north t1_iwi3tmh wrote

Strobe light. I had squirrels in the crawl space above my attic - just the peak of the roof. Only accessible by one air vent next to a tree. I tried everything, moth balls, pepper spray. Then I bought a camping lantern that had "strobe" and stuck it up there. That got rid of them, and the mom took all of the babies with her - a complete evacuation.

I saw a you tube video while doing my research on how to get rid of them. This contractor wired this space they were getting into so the house could run strobe lights all of the time! But, I just had to do it once - I also replaced the vent cover, which is usually wood or plastic with one for an AC vent - which is metal.

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PoorInCT t1_iwjfv2c wrote

Coyote piss if they are not super smart squirrels.

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smartest_kobold t1_iwc5tnc wrote

Loud music and flashing lights.

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GT540MGamer OP t1_iwc73jq wrote

I'm actually kind of excited about the idea of explaining to my wife how I'm setting up a squirrel rave.

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