Remove Squirrels from Your Walls and Attic and Keep Them Out for Good

Is there a strange noise coming from the inside of your walls? Does it sound like frantic, vicious scratching? Have you found any acorns around your windows or on your floors? My next door neighbor did and the culprit of all this mischievous action was a nothing more than a squirrel.

When my next door neighbor, Michelle Bonham first told me about these noise she heard coming from her wall she as scared. I was scared for her, too! Quite honestly we are both the kind of women who would scream at the site of a mouse running across our floor. Luckily, Michelle's husband Frank had already suspected they may have had a squirrel take up residence. Unfortunately for Michelle, her husband had only began to suspect this the day before and hadn't yet attempted to remove the squirrel.

In our neighborhood squirrels are often attributed to the cause of power failure from chewing on the lines. If you have a squirrel in your house it is not uncommon for them to chew on your own electrical lines. These rodents can also chew on wood, insulation, and ductwork and pose a potential fire hazard.

Because of these risks and a frantic wife, Frank Bonham did what any good husband would do and called a local pest control company. After speaking with an expert Mr. Bonham did what any frugal man would do and decided to take care of this problem himself. When attempting to do a squirrel extraction there are three steps.

The first step is to locate how the squirrel got into the home. Inspect the exterior of your home for any exposed or weathered materials. Be sure to look for any damage to trim work or soffits. Next, check every vent on your roof and attic to make sure that there is an intact screen in place. Also check any exposed piping on your roof or around your house. These should also have a plug or screen intact. If you have a two story home and are not able to easily do a visual search try using a pair of binoculars.

Now that you have identified how to get the squirrel got in; you can worry about getting it out. If squirrels are in your attic the easiest thing to do is to set a trap up at the point of entry. A one way door will catch the squirrel as it attempts to leave to get food. These humane squirrel traps are available at most hardware stores and act as a way for the squirrel to be captured and then released back into the wild.

If a squirrel is stuck in your wall and can not get out there may be a little more involved. You will need to find a place to actually peek into the wall to see if the squirrel can be found. Usually, looking down into a wall from an attic is a good place to start. Once you have determined the exact location in the wall, you can cut into drywall with a saw. You will want to be sure to leave an appropriate amount of distance between your cut and the actual squirrel. If you are brave enough and with thick gloves on, you can then pick up the squirrel and place him into a trap.

After removing the squirrels from your home you will need to make sure they can not get back in. Make sure that the original point of entry is repaired. For my neighbors it was a case of replacing their vent and screen on their gable. Also make sure to clean up any mess that the squirrel may have left behind. For Michelle Bonham finding out she had a squirrel in her wall was devastating enough. By the time her husband trapped four of them she took inspecting their home for minor damages much more seriously.

Sources: Michelle and Frank Bonham November 1, 2009
www.aaanimalcontrol.com