How Do You Get Squirrels Out of Your House?

Squirrels love to nest in homes, both in attics and in exterior walls.

They're cute in your yard, but they're absolute terrors inside your home. When you have them, the smartest thing to do is to get rid of them as fast as you possibly can.

Here's what you need to know. 

How do you tell if you have squirrels in your walls?

You'll hear scratches, squeaks, barks, and grunts. You'll be able to hear them running around. You'll also be able to hear scraping sounds as they gnaw on wires or other objects inside your wall. 

Squirrels are awake and active during the day, so you don't even have to count on catching them after the sun goes down. Homeowners who work outside the home might miss them at first; if you work from home you'll definitely be able to hear them. 

What is considered a squirrel infestation?

By the time you're hearing noises, you have an infestation.

If you let it go long enough, you'll start to see signs, too. 

If you go outside and look up at your soffit and fascia you might well see chew marks. You might also see them around your vents. 

You might be able to smell them, too…squirrels aren't polite about their droppings.

Finally, if you have more than the usual amount of squirrels in your yard, it's a sure sign that their nest is nearby…and it's a good bet that nest is probably in your home somewhere. They don't tend to get too far away from the place where they live. 

Can squirrels chew through walls?

Leave them there long enough, and squirrels will absolutely chew through your walls and ceilings.

They chew anything and everything.

Don't leave them there long enough to make holes. By the time they work their way through a piece of drywall there are so many of them that your home may take months to repair. 

Sometimes, you never get a chance to see the hole, because they chew through the wires a lot faster. They usually start fires long before they start punching through the walls and ceilings. 

How do I get rid of squirrels permanently? 

We'd love to tell you that there's some clever DIY way to do it. We know everyone wants to save money.

Unfortunately, most DIY methods don't work. Poison just leads to dead squirrels in your walls, which can lead to even more foul odors and can be an even greater health risk. There's no sound maker or scarecrow that will chase them away.

The only thing that works is calling in a professional. We block off all the entry and exit points, and then trap all the squirrels so we can remove them humanely. We have the tools to make sure we're getting all of them. They're persistent, and they will do their best to chew their way right back inside. 

We then take them somewhere else where they can't do quite as much damage. 

Remember, September and October are "breeding seasons" for squirrels here in the Houston, TX area, which means they're more likely to try to get into your home. If you're hearing or seeing signs, don't wait. Contact us to get an inspection today.