As adorable and harmless as they may seem, tiny little critters can cause serious damages to the structure of your house especially in the attic.
As you know, critters such as squirrels are strong and persistent survivalists who will do anything to get to a food source. This is the reason why despite their size, they can manage to destroy a building over time.
If you are dealing with a critter infestation on your property, or you want to be proactive and know what to do even before it happens, then you are on the right page.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about critters destroying your attic as well as 4 ways to get rid of this problem.
How to Stop Critters from Destroying Your Attic
First, let’s confirm whether or not the damage in your house is caused by critters. Here are some signs you should look out for:
There are holes in your walls and ceilings the size of a quarter. Keep in mind that critters can squeeze into tiny openings. They usually want to create these holes on soffit and soffit vents.
Critters love making nests in attics as this part of the house is cozy and commonly free from human interaction. If you see nests in your attic then you know that you have a confirmed critter infestation.
Lifted shingles signify that critters have gone on your property. They’ve decided that the food inside of your house is worth the trouble. If you see your shingles lifted, disorganized or just plain ruined – then it’s time to take action and get them out.
Read Also:
- Common Household Pests and Why They Should Be Removed from Your Home
- 5 Tips on How to Prevent Dust from Taking Over Your Attic
- Keep These Plants in Your House to Keep the Pests Away
- Protect Your Garden With a Top-Quality Critter Fencing
- The Best Way to Keep Your House Pest-free
- Four Handy Tips to Get Rid of Fleas
Use Repellents
Repelling critters is a subtle and humane way of getting rid of them. It’s simply notifying them that your place is not a pleasant spot for them to hang out without hurting them or doing anything harmful to their nest or house.
For every animal, there is a corresponding hated natural scent. You can research which one works best for the critter that you are trying to get rid of. Let’s take squirrels in your attic for example, as squirrels commonly get in there.
The following natural repellents are known to be effective: cayenne pepper, pepper flakes, and/or garlic pepper.
Mix the natural scent with water. Pour it in a spray bottle. Shake it well and spray it around your attic. It will be helpful if you could locate the holes or entry points and spray down those spots too.
While this technique might not be able to completely eradicate the presence of critters in your home, it might at least lessen the number.
Cut Down Branches
Keep in mind that critters such as squirrels are great jumpers. They can easily use the branches of a tree as ladders so they can enter your attic.
Most homeowners dealing with critters are not aware of this technique that’s why the problem keeps recurring. Once you get rid of the branches 10 away feet from your house, it will be harder for critters to enter your attic.
Use Exclusion Techniques to Keep Them Out
Exclusion techniques simply mean that you will prevent critters from entering your property, particularly your attic.
This method is somewhat related to the first one. For it to work best, you’re going to have to do a thorough sweep of your attic and find tiny openings, gaps, and holes.
Sizes can vary depending on what type of critter you are dealing with. But to be safe, all holes with the size of a quarter can be considered as an entry point that needs to be closed down or blocked.
Use steel mesh to block the entry points. Seal it properly and tightly to prevent them from destroying the blockages. It is also important to leave some entry points as one-way passages where critters can exit but not enter.
Once you completely get rid of the critters in your attic, do thorough wall and ceiling sweeps regularly to make sure that the problem will not come back.
Use Animal Removal Methods to Prevent Critters from Causing Damage
As you know, the most effective way to prevent an animal from causing damage to your property is to completely exterminate it – an alternative will be to remove it. The latter option allows the homeowner to choose whether or not the removed animal will be relocated or executed.
A lot of people believe that it is more humane to kill the animal right then and there instead of having it relocated only for the critter to struggle and die an agonizing death. In other words, trapping seems to be one of the best removal methods.
Visit your local store and ask for trapping options. There are many kinds of traps that work for different types of animals (for more information on what animal is in your attic, go to atticnoises.com).
Make sure to choose one that is sturdy and durable. You want a trap that kills the animal right then and there so it won’t suffer. Also, do not forget to use a yummy bait to lure the critter.
