Squirrels and Homes
Squirrels are cute little critters. With the little head and big, bushy tail. Watching baby squirrels chase each other around and around a tree can be enjoyable. But when they get into your attic, and eventually, they will make their way into the house, they aren’t so cute and enjoyable anymore. That’s when you need squirrel deterrent flashing.
What attracted those cute little critters to your house?
Squirrels feed on acorns, bird seeds, fruit, fungi, insects nuts, and vegetables. They love bird feeders and squirrel feeders too, but if it gets empty and they can find a fruit tree or vegetable garden, they’re coming in! Unless you have a squirrel deterrent flashing installed.
What kind of damage can squirrels do to your house?
You may be thinking that if these little critters are so adorable and cute to watch, surely they aren’t dangerous! If you are, you would be wrong, and if you’ve got squirrels in your attic, you need to call a pest control service that handles squirrels.
If you’ve ever really looked at a squirrel and looked at a mouse or rat, they are very similar to each other. And nobody wants a mouse or rat running around inside their home! So, just what kind of damage can a squirrel do to your house? Keep on reading:
- Damage Building Materials
Squirrels are determined creatures and if they can find a crack or hole, they will make their way through it and into your house. Okay, maybe you’ve covered or patched all the cracks and holes, problem solved right? Wrong!
When they can’t find a crack or hole to push their way in, they start chewing on roofing shingles, siding, and anything else they can gnaw. Once they are inside, they will find more stuff to chew on like wooden roof joists, walls, insulation, and more. With squirrel deterrent flashing installed, they won’t be able to get into your attic and you’ll avoid the following:
- Chew On Wiring
Now the squirrel has found a way into your attic, it starts looking for utility lines and wiring in the walls. They are good at getting around in the dark, so they are working 24/7 to find materials they can make their nests with, cloth, wiring, wood, etc.
- Dig Up Gardens
Not only are squirrels looking for nesting materials, but they are also looking for food too. They can chew their way into cabinets and pantries, and from there, they’re eating your food. Squirrels like eating out too – in your garden. With a squirrel deterrent flashing installed, they would be stopped before they got in the attic.
- Gnaw On Furniture
Any outdoor furniture you have is up for grabs by the squirrels. They love gnawing on outdoor furniture, especially if there is a hole or tear in the cushions. That makes good material for nesting. Once they are in your house, they won’t hesitate to gnaw on indoor furniture too. They’ll even gnaw on metal and plastic furniture too.
Are squirrels dangerous to humans?
The majority of the time, squirrels aren’t any danger to humans. That’s why we find them cute and just watch them running around trees and across hi-line wires. Usually, when they are approached by humans or feel they are being approached, they’ll scamper off.
However, these cute little critters have been known to attack and inflict wounds. Most rodents (yes squirrels are considered rodents), are likely to have rabies, but rarely do squirrels have them. If a squirrel does attack a human, it is usually because it contracted rabies making them aggressive. Again, if you have squirrel deterrent flashing installed on your home, that will eliminate the chances of a rabid squirrel getting into your attic and into the living quarters below.
How does a squirrel deterrent flashing work and where do you get it?
Squirrel deterrent flashing is a metal strip that is installed by a roofing contractor tightly into the roofing system. It is thick enough they can’t claw and gnaw their way into your attic. It is installed in roof valleys, roof steps, and other places that are tempting for these cute critters.
How long does this type of squirrel deterrent flashing last?
Because a squirrel can chew through metal, you want to get the thickest metal squirrel deterrent flashing you can find. You can also implement other types of squirrel deterrents such as flashing strobe lights designed to ward off squirrels along with Norway rats, roof rats, raccoons, and almost any other rodent. Many of these claim to be 100% effective, even in houses that were already infested with these critters.
For The Animal Lover ….
There are many people that don’t want squirrels in their houses any more than they want mice, rats, or other critters. But they don’t want to harm them. So, is squirrel deterrent flashing humane? The metal flashing that a roofing contractor installs isn’t harmful to these critters, and there is debate by many if the flashing lights or high-pitched sounding squirrel deterrents even work, much less harmful.
If you have a squirrel or other type of rodent getting in your attic and into your home, call a roofing contractor and have the metal squirrel deterrent flashing installed. You know it won’t harm the critters, but it will keep them out of your house.
Affordable Gutters Plus LLC provides professional installation of squirrel deterrent flashing in Canton, GA. Call 770-735-4433 today to learn more.