Squirrel Damage To Homes: What Can Happen?

You may not think about squirrels as a major pest, but squirrel damage to homes can have serious consequences. Repairing the damage they do can cost you a lot of money. Squirrels are quite strong and are a lot more destructive than they appear.

Squirrel damage to homes consists of the squirrel chewing on household materials. This could be construction things like insulation or materials that hold up your roof. They will even chew through wiring. In fact, experts think that squirrels can be held responsible for a lot of power cuts across the UK. What’s more, squirrel damage to homes may not be covered by your insurance. That could end up in a lot of money having to be spent.

 

Squirrels In The Attic – A Disaster Waiting To Happen

The most common place squirrel damage to homes takes place is in the attic. Your house looks like a great place to nest to a squirrel. It’s very common to find them hiding in the attic corners or nesting in insulation. Squirrels will look for any way they can to get under your roof and into the loft. That’s where they make their nests.

Once their nests are made, they begin to breed. Squirrels can produce litters of two to nine babies at a time. Then the juvenile squirrels can start to breed in little more than a year. So by preventing squirrel damage to homes, it’s important you act quickly and effectively to an infestation.

 

 

Things In Your Home That Squirrels Can Damage

Squirrel damage to homes can consist of anything. Any one thing round your property that isn’t concrete, stone or metal can be damaged. In fact, that’s exactly what they will do. Squirrels chew on things to wear down their sharp teeth, which never stop growing. To a squirrel, your home is a place where they can be safe. They will continue to act on their instinctive behaviour during their stay.

 

Specifically, squirrels can damage:

• Wood – Windows, doors, siding, you name it. Especially round the roof. Squirrels chew holes around your roof to get into your loft. This will open a hole that makes it easy for other pests to get in to. More importantly, it puts your home at risk of structural failure.
• Shingles – Squirrels can compromise the shingles on your roof itself. If it gets bad enough the damage will lead to water damage from the rain.
• Plastic – Outdoor furniture and PVC piping are at risk from squirrel damage. They can easily chew through a pipe. Chewed pipes will eventually cause water damage.
• Wiring – Electrical wiring usually lives in our lofts. This is where a squirrel wants to be. They will have no problem chewing through all the wires up there. Say goodbye to the Christmas lights! The damage they do to wiring is one of the biggest dangers having a squirrel infestation can pose. Once the bare copper cable is exposed, you are suddenly at risk of an electrical fire.
• Insulation – When a squirrel gets into your roof they will choose to make their nests from your insulation. Shredding and trampling on it reduces its effectiveness. This may lead you to having to replace the insulation.

 

 

More Bad News About Squirrel Damage To Homes

There are other ways a squirrel can damage your home and harm your family. Like all other rodents, their faeces and urine can transmit dangerous diseases to those who touch it. Also, squirrels carry a lot of fleas and ticks. These will easily be transmitted to your pets or have a flea infestation in your home.

Squirrels are also a threat to your garden as well as your home. If they start to infest your garden, they will eat planted seeds and ripe fruit. They can also damage any garden furniture or decking you have.

Last of all, squirrels, much like birds, can easily get stuck in vents and chimneys. Not only can this cause damage, but if they die in there the smell can be unbearable.

 

 

We Can Help When Squirrels Invade Your Home

The good news is that Empire Pest Control can help you with any type of squirrel infestation. We know how to safely and humanely remove squirrels from your premises. We do this without damaging your home or the surrounding environment.

As well as removing the squirrel infestation, we can also teach you how to prevent squirrels again in the future. This can greatly reduce the likelihood of another infestation happening again.

Remember that investing in squirrel pest control will prevent a lot of damage being done that is costly to repair. It will also protect you and your family from any health problems squirrels can cause. Get in touch with Empire today to discuss your options for squirrel pest control in the North South West East London areas.