Pest-proofing can be relatively simple or it can be a very labor intensive process, depending on the size of your home, the age and condition of your home, and the level of pest pressure. You can do it yourself, but after I explain what can be involved you may decide to hire a professional. Pest-proofing or “squirrel exclusion,” as we call it, has been one of our specialties at Colonial Pest for more than 30 years (see What’s the Best Way to Seal Squirrels Out?).

(1) Remove Squirrels From Attic

If you already have squirrels in your attic, the first step is to humanely remove them using one-way, excluder doors that let squirrels out, but not back in. When you remove the adult squirrel (usually a female), you  need to be careful that you are not sealing baby squirrels into the attic, or keeping mom away from her unweaned babies (see Baby Squirrels in the Attic!).

(2) Inspect, Seal, Repair, and Reinforce

Then you need to check all exterior areas of your home looking for squirrel entry points or weakened or vulnerable areas where squirrels could gnaw openings into the attic space. You may need to repair screens on vents or louvers, install a chimney cap, replace rotting wood, seal gaps around utility openings, and reinforce weak joints and corners with gnaw-proof material. If this isn’t done right, determined squirrels will just gnaw a new opening at the edge of your patch. After the squirrels are removed, permanently seal the opening into the nest space, but keep in mind that there may be more than one opening.

Or, (3) Let Us Do Both (1) and (2) for You

The advantage to hiring an experienced pest control company to do the exclusion work is that we know how pests think and behave. Our technicians know just where to look for weak spots and potential openings that squirrels will exploit. We also use high-quality, squirrel-proof, warrantied materials that result in a permanent repair. And when the work is done, we offer an unheard-of guarantee. For more, see our Service Page, Squirrel Removal Massachusetts & New Hampshire, and give us a call today.