Get Rid of Pesky Squirrels or Bats

The most common squirrel that inhabits New England homes is the Eastern Grey Squirrel. Often heard in ceilings or walls, these rodents can wreak havoc on electrical wiring and insulation once inside the structure. Throughout the winter, they have been known to gnaw on structural beams and create sizable entry holes commonly in a home’s gutter line.

How squirrels get in houses

Eastern grey squirrels largely feed off seeds and nuts found around yards where they spend time scaling trees. The same tree that provides them fresh seeds also allows access to surrounding structures. When trees are in close proximity to powerlines or your home, squirrels will find their way into attic spaces through already existing entry points or will gnaw their way in.

A common entry point for squirrels to get into your house is a chimney without a chimney cap. If you have squirrels and would like to get rid of them or if you would like to take a precaution against them finding entry, the Yankee Pest Team can install a professional grade chimney cap to protect your home.

Getting rid of squirrels: here’s what we do

Excluding squirrels that have already made entry to your home or business starts with a thorough inspection of the property. Once a determination has been made to where the egress points are found, our team will determine if the area can be secured closed with steel wire mesh or utilize a one-way door in an active entry point.

One-way doors are a common tool that allow squirrels to exit a structure through a spring-loaded door. Once the squirrel exits, the door conveniently closes behind them. The one-way door will be removed, and the entry point will be excluded over with steel mesh preventing further entry.

Additional recommendations for making your home less friendly to squirrels include:

• Cutting trees back in close proximity to your home.
• Limit exterior seed food sources such as bird feeders.
• Repair decaying facia boards.
• Ensure you have a proper chimney cap in place.

A note on flying squirrels

A less common but equally destructive squirrel is the flying squirrel. These high gliding squirrels are happiest in densely wooded areas full of conifer trees where they can glide from perch to perch. Smaller than the eastern grey squirrel, the northern flying squirrel can damage insulation and wiring in your home if they make entry. This nuisance rodent can be trapped, and entry points will be excluded to eliminate access.

The Problem with Bats

In their natural habitat, bats can be very beneficial to the environment. It is not until bats make their way inside that sanitation and health become a concern.

Bats prefer warmer temperatures. In New England, they find shelter in attics, garages, and buildings in the cooler months. Once inside a home, fecal matter and urine can impact the safety and health of a structure. The very unpleasant odor of fecal matter can take over an attic space and invade your stored items quickly.

Bats are insectivores and feed on mosquitos and moths at night. They can also play host to smaller insects such as mites and flies that can be introduced into your home and pose a health risk. In contrast to popular belief, bats rarely bite humans and only do so when feeling threatened.  Bats do in fact have poor vision and do utilize echolocation to locate things in their flight path.

Getting rid of bats: here’s what we do

Bats can gain entry into a home through an opening as small as a ¼” in size. If you have bats in your home or are worried they may find a way in, it’s time to call Yankee Pest Control.

Yankee Pest Control will begin with a thorough inspection of your home. Once all areas of entry are located that need to be excluded, the service technician will determine if that area needs a bat cone or simply be sealed.

The advantage of a bat cone is that it allows these beneficial mammals back into the environment without allowing them back into your home. Once the bats have been evicted from the home, the YPC team will return to your home, remove the bat cone, and seal the remaining entry points.