If you’ve ever been just about to drift off to sleep when you hear something thump across the ceiling or start scratching within your walls, you know how unsettling it can be to discover that you and your family aren’t the only ones living in your house. Squirrels may look too large to get into your home, but the fact is, they are persistent enough to chew away at a tiny opening until it’s big enough for them to squeeze through. And the problems squirrels cause when they invade your home are significant.
Problems Squirrels Cause When They Invade Homes
Any time a squirrel enters your home, you immediately become vulnerable to varied threats to your health and safety. Squirrels are rodents and one of the characteristics of rodents is their constant need to chew. Their front incisors never stop growing, which necessitates that they continually gnaw on things to keep their teeth at a manageable length. That means that once they get into your house, they’ll chew on wires, ductwork, pipes, walls, wood, insulation, and whatever else they can get their mouth on. Not only does this damage your home, but it also causes safety concerns. Chewed wiring can lead to fires, chewed pipes can cause leaks which can lead to mold, and chewed wood can damage the structural integrity of your home.
Squirrels won’t only damage your home with their chewing. They’ll also damage it with their excrement. The urine and droppings they leave behind can cause mold issues, as well as introduce dangerous pathogens into your living environment.
When squirrels invade, they often bring both internal and external parasites along with them. Fleas, ticks, and tapeworm are all examples of the parasites that can end up in your home as a result of a squirrel infestation.
Signs You Have a Squirrel Infestation
If you’ve heard scratching or thumping within your walls or ceiling, there’s a very good chance you have a squirrel infestation. Other signs of an infestation include seeing droppings on your floors, counters, or inside your cabinets, finding damage to your walls, noticing holes or damage along your roofline, soffits, or shingles, or smelling a foul odor within your house that you can’t locate the cause.
What to Do When Squirrels Invade
Trying to get squirrels out of your house is not an easy task and it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Proven Pest Management has professional technicians trained in the removal, cleaning, and exclusion of squirrels and other wildlife invaders. Keep your home free from the problems squirrels cause and your family safe from danger with the help of Proven Pest Management. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.
