Squirrels in the Attic
Having squirrels in your house or attic can be a nightmare for you and your tenants. They can run around at night keeping tenants awake, cause damage to walls, floors, ceilings and much more. Ideally you should do everything you can to avoid having a squirrel problem to begin with, because once they move in, they can be hard to get rid of.
I had a squirrel problem with a rental property in New Jersey. There was a small opening in the soffit where the squirrels managed to chew there way right through the aluminum siding on the house and were able to run around in the walls. The simple answer to resolve this problem was to patch the hole where the critters came in, but they only went to another corner and got in there. After covering the entry with a thick wire mesh, the squirrels got the idea they were not wanted. At least for now.
How to deal with squirrels in your attic
The first step in dealing with a squirrel problem is to remove them. This can be done with a quality trap such as a havaheart. Poison may cause the squirrel to die inside the home which could result in an odor problem. Place the trap near by where the squirrels are getting in or in the path of where they are running around. Use some bait like peanut butter, seeds or honey to get them in the trap. Once you catch them, you will need to drop them off at least 10 miles or so from your property, or they will find there way back. If you put the trap in the yard, you may catch a lot more animals then the ones that invaded your home.
Another option is to use a fume bomb to scare the animals out.
Eliminate any areas where squirrels may be getting food or water such as cat food or bird seed left outside, and any standing water. These temptations will just continue to draw more squirrels back.
If you have access to where the squirrels were living, do some cleaning to remove any sign of the squirrels. There may not be much you can do to remove their scent which can attract other squirrels..
Prevent future access by sealing up any openings where a squirrel can come into a home. Nail or screw a thick wire mesh underneath and cover with siding or trim. Be sure to trim back any trees that may be overhanging your roof to limit their access.
Your responsibility as a landlord is to keep your tenants happy and pests like squirrels can drive a renter nuts. Act quickly, do the job right and check to make sure they don’t come back. This article on squirrel issues has a lot more details on dealing with these non-paying tenants!
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To get squirrels out of your attic, check my new invention on ebay. Search for squirrel attic repellent. It’s cheap and effective.