How to Keep Squirrels from Destroying your Home

How to Keep Squirrels from Destroying your Home

Squirrels can wreak havoc on homes. Unchecked squirrels can migrate from munching on your birdseed to taking over.

Today we’ll give you some simple ways to keep squirrels from destroying your home sweet home.

Squirrel motivation

Knowing why squirrels arrive helps to know what to do. Squirrels love to eat. They will go where the living is easy. So make it harder. If you have trash cans easily accessed or uncovered animal food keep them tightly closed. In addition, unrepaired holes in your exterior home make it easy to set up housekeeping.

Address the feeder frenzy

If you’re a bird lover at heart keep in mind squirrels are big fans of your feeder. Bird watchers know the annoyance of filling a feeder with well-chosen seed only to watch squirrels feasting. To nurture your hobby without welcoming new houseguests be sure follow these steps:

Keep a fair distance from your home: Place feeders very high in the surrounding well-pruned trees. You may prefer them close to a window but investing in small binoculars will allow you to enjoy the birds while making feeders harder to get to.
Invest in modern technology: Today there are many feeders and posts that deter squirrels while welcoming your feathered friends. A day trip to your big box home store will equip you with feeders, posts and hardware that make it harder to invite squirrels into your home surroundings.
Keep seed in tightly stored containers: Ditch the bags the seed came in for solid plastic containers no squirrel can chew.

Squirrel signs

Maybe you find yourself unlucky enough to suspect squirrels are already setting up shop. Three signs you have a squirrel in your home are chewed wires, scratching noises in the attic and droppings. If you’ve confirmed you have squirrels you will want to get rid of them right away.

Here are 5 tips to keep squirrels from destroying your home.

Cut off entry points: Take time to walk around your property and identify any holes or other openings where they are coming in. Repair them or block them altogether.
Cayenne pepper: Squirrels hate this spice. Sprinkle it generously outside the perimeter of your home to send them packing.
Minty fresh: Like cayenne pepper squirrels dislike mint. Plant mint generously around your home to naturally deter squirrels.
Bow wow: If you don’t have a dog a squirrel problem is an excellent excuse to get one. Select a breed known to sniff out and chase squirrels and you’ll have a friend for life.
Clean out the attic: Attics are very popular to squirrels. They find ample materials for nesting, the climate is nice and they have a front row seat to your vittles. Clean out your attic very well. Dispose of unwanted items. Store the remainder in well-closed plastic containers over cardboard boxes. Then do a good sweep through, hole repair and cayenne pepper sprinkling.

Squirrels cause homeowners thousands of dollars in damages every year. If you find yourself faced with these furry friends, call the experts at Safety First Pest Control.

No matter what your pest control needs may be, Safety First Pest Control can get it taken care of. Contact us today if you’re experiencing pesky pest problems. We are a family-owned and operated business that has been servicing Mobile and Baldwin Counties since 1999! It is our goal to provide you excellent service. You can reach us at (251) 990-0047.