How to Keep Squirrels and Rats Out of Your Attic
Having an infestation of rodents such as squirrels or rats in the attic is one of the most annoying pest problems that homeowners in Chicagoland can face. In addition to the sounds of scampering and chewing, these animals can cause significant damage when they take up residence in your attic. Since they are also intelligent animals, it can be difficult to get rid of them and to keep them from returning. It is important for you to take steps to keep these animals out of your attic. If you already have an infestation of them, you will want to remove them, repair the damage and prevent them from returning.
Damage That Rodents Can Cause in Attics
Squirrels and rats may chew up available paper or insulation in order to make nests. If you have books or boxes stored in your attic, they may be prime targets for invading rodents. Rodent urine may ruin the existing insulation in your attic. They also may chew up wiring, which could lead to an increased risk of fire along with electrical problems. Dust from their feces may also get into the air of your home, causing asthma-like symptoms and health problems.
Getting Rid of Squirrels and Rats
You should conduct regular inspections of your attic so that you can quickly spot signs that you have had visitors. These can include chewed up material, droppings and damaged wires or insulation. If you see these signs, you need to find all entry points. These do not have to be substantially large spaces for rodents to get in. Once you find where they have been getting in, you will want to remove all of the squirrels that are present in your attic before blocking their entry points. This is important because if squirrels or rats are trapped inside of your attic, they may chew through things in an effort to get out.
The professionals at Pest Arrest can set humane traps to catch the squirrels and rats that are present in your home's attic and walls. Trapping the animals may require that the correct bait is used to draw them out from their hiding spaces and into the traps. After safely relocating the animals away from your home, our professionals can then properly seal off all of the entry points so that they can't get back in.
Once squirrels or rats have chosen your attic as their home, they may try to return and chew their way through to make new entry points. This makes it important for you to use the proper repellants around your home's exterior so that they do not return.
Contact Pest Arrest
If you have heard scampering or chewing noises or have seen the evidence of a rodent problem in your attic, contact the experts at Pest Arrest, who can safely and humanely trap and remove the existing animals and seal your attic so that they can't return.