Squirrels

Squirrels can be a joy to see in their natural habitat, scampering up trees and gathering acorns. Sometimes, though, squirrel populations can suddenly be too prevalent around your home and the small critters can even get into your home. Squirrels are generally considered a pest animal and can be trapped, removed and relocated—but we don't encourage homeowners to do this work. Call Wildlife X Team® Waco at 817.431.3007 today to address any and all squirrel removal needs in your Waco home!

Common Squirrel Complaints

One of the most common complaints we receive when it comes to squirrels is the damage they can cause inside your home — attics and inside walls are common nesting areas for squirrels. Squirrels also:

• Rip insulation to use for making nests, lowering your home's heating efficiency
• Soil rooms with urine and feces, both of which can be health hazards
• Steal birdseed from feeders and scares songbirds off
• Damage pipes, causing plumbing leaks and problems

Why & How to Get Rid of Squirrels

Squirrels are a nuisance—it seems like they are always around and causing trouble. In order to fully get rid of them, there are a few steps you can take as a homeowner, but you should leave most of the work to the professionals at Wildlife X Team® Waco. Before you call Wildlife X Team® Waco at 817.431.3007, you can take steps like making access to birdfeeders less easy and applying squirrel repellents to the area. 

Squirrel Removal Process

Squirrels commonly enter an attic or the walls of a home from holes on the roof. Homeowners may not realize their roof has a small hole under a tile or in a hard-to-see spot, and that can be dangerous. However, the squirrel removal team at Wildlife X Team® Waco can find, trap, and remove/relocate these animals for you. Read below to learn more about our squirrel removal process:

Starting Squirrel Removal

First, we determine the entry points that squirrels are using to enter a home. These entry points are commonly found on the roof. A chimney is another possible entry point if it does not have a chimney cap, as squirrels can freely enter it without a cap.

Next, we set traps and create one-way doors at these entry points. These methods are the only ways to remove squirrels from a home effectively. Although they are only temporary solutions, permanent solutions will come later in the process.

 

Traps

Traps place squirrels in a metal cage. The squirrels cannot return to the attic or exit a trap's door. We keep the batch of squirrels in the cage before releasing them back into their natural habitat.

One-Way Squirrel Doors

We also install one-way doors at entry points. Squirrels can exit the door to leave your house, but they cannot enter the door to reenter your home. This method is an effective way to prevent squirrels from returning. It is also a safe and humane method of wildlife removal.

Squirrel Damage Repairs

Squirrels can do major damage to your home, such as biting wires in your walls.  Remnants they leave, such as trash and urine, can attract other wildlife to your home.  To prevent this, we seal holes or entry points to prevent squirrels from re-entering your house. We also repair or replace torn wires, mend pipes to stop leaks, and clean up any trash (such as food) left behind by the critters.

Decontamination

Feces and urine from squirrels contaminate the interior of your home. These substances are a health hazard, as they can emit vapors with nasty diseases. You will need the professionals at Wildlife X Team® Waco to decontaminate your house to avoid illness.  We will use disinfectants to eliminate any viruses from the nest, as well as replace floorboards and ventilation if they are damaged beyond repair.

Prevention

Finally, we implement prevention measures in your home to prevent squirrels or other animals from causing problems in the future. You will want to limit a squirrel's accessibility to your home. We will do that by sealing squirrel entry points and adding a chimney cap if your home has a chimney. Chimney caps have vents to allow smoke to exit your home while preventing any wildlife from entering through its opening.

Call us today at 817.431.3007 to remove the squirrels from your home!

Squirrel Damage in Your Waco Home

Squirrels are cute-looking animals as they graciously roam about in the wild. However, once they invade your attic or home, they become less desirable because of the disturbances and damages they cause. As you probably know, electrical disruptions caused by squirrels are common and widespread. Some experts even believe that squirrels pose a greater risk to your health and property than natural disasters. That’s how destructive they can be!

But from a Waco homeowner’s perspective, what damage can squirrels cause in your home? Let’s find out.

• Serious Damage to The Attic: Attics are usually the perfect spot for squirrels because of the warmth and safety it provides. Loose soffit and fascia make ideal entry points. If a hole is about an inch wide, they’ll wiggle their way through it. If it’s smaller than that, they’ll chew the edges until it is wide enough to contain them. Once a squirrel gains access, the next step is to build its nest. It may start by bringing in external materials like branches, leaves, soil, and more. All this pollutes the attic space. Thereafter, it chews on soft materials like cloths, insulation, blankets, and paper. They do this to make their nest as comfortable as possible.
• Persistent Chewing: Unfortunately, squirrels aren’t going to stop gnawing on materials after they’re done building their nest. Like all rodents, the incisors of squirrels grow throughout their lives. In an attempt to keep it sharp and keep the length in check, they continuously chew on soft materials, increasing damage. When the insulation material is destroyed, it reduces the heating and cooling efficiency of a home and that leads to increased energy bills. If they chew on wood, they may compromise the structural integrity of the building. 
• Chewed Wiring: Squirrels will also chew on electrical wiring. Exposed wires can result in partial contact which can damage electrical appliances or result in outages. Moreover, there’s a risk of electrocution if someone touches it. Because of the inflammable nesting materials that squirrels use, a simple spark from an exposed wire can start a fire.
• Damaged PVC Piping: Squirrels will also gnaw through PVC piping. Since most water lines are made of PVC, several leaks may result.
• Dug Up Garden: If you have a garden on your property, squirrels may eat the fruits and vegetables before you get a chance to do so. Moreover, they love to dig up the soil, especially in the lawn. If you observe that your fruits and vegetables are partially eaten or there are dug-up areas, then a squirrel is the likely culprit, and it may be residing in your house or a nearby tree. Experts at Wildlife X Team® Waco can help you deal with your squirrel problem.
• Feces and Urine: Squirrels will surely poop and urinate in your house. With time, they leave behind large numbers of droppings and urine spots which can pollute insulation material, serve as a breeding spot for bacteria, and even give off an appalling odor. You may need a professional wildlife company like Wildlife X Team® Waco to help decontaminate the infected space.
• Health Risks: Although incidents of transmission are rare, squirrels are known to carry ticks, fleas, mites, rabies, salmonellosis, leptospirosis, and tularemia. Many of these diseases can have a devastating impact on both humans and pets if left untreated.

What to Do if You Have Squirrel Problems

As with all wildlife infestation problems, the key to solving the problem is to act quickly. The good news is that Wildlife X Team® Waco can help you remove the squirrels in your house, seal off all potential entry holes, decontaminate the infected spaces, and perform all necessary repairs. Call Wildlife X Team® Waco today!