In a Carlton semi with a mature tree at the back, a squirrel in the loft is a familiar story. The sooner it is dealt with, the less it chews.
Carlton is a suburb of inter-war and post-war semi-detached housing, and those houses share roof lines, with gardens often backing onto each other. A squirrel that gets into one loft can easily move along to the neighbouring one. Garden trees, fences and shed roofs offer an easy climb, and from there it is a short jump to the eaves.
Timing is the biggest clue. Squirrels are daytime animals, so scampering and thudding tends to start around dawn and again in the afternoon. A rat or mouse is more likely to be heard at night. A squirrel is also heavier, and you may hear rolling noises as it moves nesting material or nuts.
Squirrels chew constantly, and a loft full of cables, water pipes and timber offers plenty to chew. Damaged wiring is a fire risk. A squirrel in the roof void may also have young in spring or early summer, and the longer the animals stay, the more insulation and timber they destroy.
Squirrels can breed more than once a year, and young are often born in late winter and again in summer. This means that nests found in spring may have kittens, as young squirrels are called, and any work must be timed with care.
A tidy garden helps. Keep bird feeders away from the house, use squirrel-proof designs and avoid leaving nuts on the ground, since a regular food supply encourages squirrels to hang around your roofline.
Grey squirrels cannot be released once caught, and they must be dealt with humanely. A professional will assess how they are getting in, check for young and carry out the work lawfully. Entry points are then blocked with hard-wearing materials, because squirrels will gnaw through plastic, wood and thin mesh. Without that step, the hole becomes an invitation.
In a semi, it is sensible to tell your neighbours. If their roofline is also open, a squirrel removed from one loft may simply move next door, and then back again once yours is empty.
We will inspect the roofline and loft, explain what we find and carry out the work properly. We offer free advice with every treatment and appointments to suit you. Call 0115 937 5117.
They can. Squirrels gnaw wood, plastic and cable insulation, strip loft insulation for nests and can cause leaks by displacing tiles. Chewed wiring is the most serious risk because of the possibility of fire.
A grey squirrel can squeeze through a gap roughly the size of a golf ball, and will gnaw to enlarge it. Loose soffits, damaged fascias and missing tiles are the usual weak spots.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
