Stop the Chomp
Ever get that gnawing feeling that you’re not alone in your home? The telltale scurrying in the wee hours coming from the attic . . . shredded insulation . . . chewed wires . . . flickering lights. It’s a bird! It’s a mouse! It’s Super Squirrel!
With new homes and subdivisions being built up every day, squirrel populations have been on the rise in residential neighborhoods. Known as a territorial species, squirrels will easily move right into your attic (provided they have access) if your house happens to be built where their favorite tree used to be. And once they’re in, they’re difficult to evict. These furry little creatures become less like cute nature characters and more like stubborn squatters! Before we discuss strategies to prevent or remedy the invasion, let’s be clear about how serious this situation is: squirrels aren’t just a nuisance; they are an outright safety hazard.
While there is no official statistic (it’s hard to catch these rodents in the act), it is suspected that squirrels cause thousands of house fires each year. Since squirrels’ teeth never stop growing throughout their lives, they chew incessantly on nearly everything to hone down those chompers and keep them sharp: nuts, seeds, twigs, wood, and even your electrical wiring. That polymer or plastic insulation around your wires must be especially tasty to these critters. And when the protective coating is eaten away, crossed wires become a fire waiting to happen.
If you’ve already got some squirrels living it up in your house, contact a pest management professional. These folks are experts in safely trapping and removing many offenders and moving them far enough away to prevent reinfestation. They’ll also help to find and seal up the likely entry points where the problem began.
If your home hasn’t already been infiltrated by these nuts (pun intended), be sure to engage in preventative measures to keep them out. Inspect in and around your home for vulnerable areas where squirrels can easily gain entrance: holes in siding, roof vents, fascia, or even gaps in shingles. Even if the hole doesn’t look large enough, squirrels will use their weaponized teeth and chew their way in. Repair those areas promptly or protect with wire caging for chimneys and vents that can’t be repaired and sealed. Other effective squirrel deterrents are household pets (Rover and Morris are equally disagreeable to squirrels), keeping tree limbs trimmed a good distance from your roof, and strong natural scents from white vinegar, peppermint oil, coffee grounds, cinnamon, and Irish Spring soap, just to name a few.
If you are a Christmas light enthusiast (like us), you’ll want to squirrel-proof your magical outdoor displays. Treat your rope or string lights with a ready-made squirrel repellent, pepper spray, mint mouthwash, or citrus solution. These safe and sensory repellents need to be reapplied at regular intervals, especially after rain, to be effective. Owl decoys are also an excellent choice since most rodents fear the predatory owl. Realistic decoys should be placed near the lights you want protected. Sometimes more than one may be needed if your yard is large. Periodically rotate the decoys to various parts of the yard so the squirrels don’t catch on to you.
While we’re not in the owl decoy business, we can help with replacing damaged electrical products or Christmas light replacements. Feel free to give us a call and speak with one of our certified lighting specialists at 1-800-624-4488 or try the convenient pop-up chat at the bottom corner of our web pages.
