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TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

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TheSMJ

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How to locate squirrel's entrance into roof?

Over this past winter, a family of squirrels moved into my house. The issue is (aside from the fact that they're in the house) is I'm unable to figure out how they're getting in.

A little bit of background: I just bought this house at the end of January. Previous to this the house was unoccupied for months, aside from the seller's daughter coming to the house to clean and perform maintenance every few weeks since she lived out of state. The trees and shrubs around the house were allowed to get overgrown which made for an easy climb onto the roof for many animals large and small, as evidenced by the large pile of animal crap underneath overhangs. I trimmed back the trees and bushes, and plan to cut down at least a couple of the trees since they're much too close to the house.

Part of the problem is the squirrels are living under part of the roof where there are no human access points - it's underneath a vaulted ceiling. I know they're in there since I can hear them at night a few hours after dusk, squeaking and chasing each-other around. The only way in would be to either cut a hole in the drywall from inside the house, or ripping off the roof. Both of these options have obvious downsides.

I climbed up onto the roof and looked for an obvious entry point but was unable to find one. The vents and siding are all in fine shape and no holes/cracks are visible from below or on top of the roof, and yet I am 100% positive they're living in there.

I bought a trap, but since I don't know how they're getting in I won't be able to fix/seal up the entrance, leaving me open for a new infestation. The only solution to this problem that I can think of would be to put some kind of camera outside facing the part of the roof I cannot see from inside the house, but that would be an expensive solution to what should be a one-time problem.

I've read about spreading a sticky material used for discouraging birds from landing on surfaces around the areas I think they might be getting in from and checking these areas for hair/footprints later in the day, but I haven't been able to figure out what it's called or where to buy it from.

Has anybody had to deal with this kind of issue before?
iLearn
join:2013-01-16
canada

iLearn

Member

Re: How to locate squrrel's entrance into roof?

Let me guess, you did not get a home inspection before buying the house?

You can start charging them rent, which will hopefully encourage them to move out.
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

I did get an inspection. He went on the roof and said that while he could see the animal crap up there and recommended I trim/remove the overgrown bushes and trees to make the roof less attractive for critters overall, he couldn't confirm or deny any issues with the roof aside from what was evident on the outside since there is no access to the space below the roof, and the shingles/flashing look fine based on what's visible.

Not that it matters now, but there's a good possibility the squirrels moved in between the time of the inspection and the closing, since the inspection was performed mid November and I didn't close until Jan 30th.

mattmag

join:2000-04-09
NW Illinois

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I can tell you that it doesn't take much of a hole to allow those things inside. You will need to get up where you can literally see every inch of your home and inspect it thoroughly. It is also possible that they got in from a location not immediately close to where they are now, so you have to check everything.

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

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Send them an eviction notice!

J/k

Probably best to call an exterminator.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

1 recommendation

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Catch one alive, tie a line on him and throw him on the roof and see where he goes?

Yes, it's a terrible idea.

cybersaga
join:2011-12-19
Selby, ON

cybersaga

Member

said by intok:

Catch one alive, tie a line on him and throw him on the roof and see where he goes?

Yes, it's a terrible idea.

As much as I laughed at that, it could work! That is, as long as you can be sure that the squirrel you catch is one of the ones living in your house. If you end up catching a squirrel that lives next door, it won't get you anywhere.
doechsli
join:2003-11-26
Louisville, KY

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The fact they seem to be staying in one spot of the attic may give you some proximity to the entrance. I saw one wiggle between the overhang and the brick wall to gain entrance to a garage. I bet it wasn't more than an inch of space......they are also pretty crafty and may be pulling something down like a loose vent to climb in and it then closes behind them.
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

I have two roof sections on my split level house. One section is accessible from inside (the higher roof above the bedrooms) and the other which begins one story above the ground which is above the living room, dining room and kitchen. Since I can hear them above all of these rooms they could be getting in anywhere.

I could sit in my backyard on a sunny day and watch and wait for them to come around, but all I might end up with is a wasted weekend and a sunburn. There's no telling if I'd ever be able to catch the little bastards in the act.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

You aren't going to find anything from the inside except how much damage they have caused. The only way to find the opening is to get on the roof and/or use a ladder all the way around the roof and carefully look and feel everywhere. As previously stated, something could be loose and you won't even be able to see the opening until you feel it being loose.
doechsli
join:2003-11-26
Louisville, KY

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Can you gain access to that attic space by cutting in thru the top of a closet and then building it as a regular "hatch"? Once you are in there you should be able to evict the little SOB's.....
mrtomallen
join:2007-01-31
Statesville, NC

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Does the house have a/c? We've had rats and squirrels enter the attic by going up the shoot where the Freon lines enter the house. Finally sprayed foam insulation into the area and sealed it up, after having the critters removed.
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

It does, but it's in the basement.

PeeWee
Premium Member
join:2001-10-21
Madera, CA

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Get a cat, give it access to the attic and let nature take it's course.

probcritters
@speakeasy.net

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They can get in the smallest of holes, sometimes even by slightly enlarging the gap in a roof vent. The only surefire way to find the hole is observation. If you can pin down the times they're coming in or going out that's the best bet. Set up outside close enough you can get a clear view but far enough away not to spook them.

Depending on how long they've been in there, critters can do a real number on your insulation so you may be opening the ceiling regardless.

pike
Premium Member
join:2001-02-01
Washington, DC

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said by PeeWee:

Get a cat, give it access to the attic and let nature take it's course.

Most residential rodent problems can be addressed through the deployment of a proportional quantity of properly motivated felidae.

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

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They could be getting in from almost anywhere, even from the basement! They can easily work their way up to the attic from inside the wall cavities.

You need to try and trap them, alive. Then just relocate them a few miles away.

The very last thing you want to do is put out poison bait that they eat. Invariably they go back inside the wall to die, and boy, does that ever smell bad! That stank can last for weeks!
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

The plan is to trap and relocate them. I just really want to know how they're getting in first so I can block off access and hopefully not have to deal with this again.

At this point I'm not too worried about the insulation up there (assuming there's any at all). The rest of the house was insulated with 1" of cotton, so while it's better than nothing it's not worth ripping my ceiling down to fix it. When it comes time for a new roof within 4-5 years I'll get it re insulated.

stev32k
Premium Member
join:2000-04-27
Mobile, AL

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Like others have said you need to inspect every inch of the roof, eaves, overehangs, gables, vents, around vent pipes, and any other penetration. I've had to do that twice and it's not easy. A really strong light like a 1 or 2 million candle power spot light can be a big help.

Since you already have the trap just bate it with pecans and haul off or kill any you catch. If you don't want to kill them you need to take them 15 or 20 miles away 10 miles is not enough they will come back.
stev32k

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Re: How to locate squirrel's entrance into roof?

Here's a tip on trapping squirrels or rats or just about any other small animal where there may more than one. Bate the trap but don't let it close - tie up the door.

Let the animal get use to feeding there once a day. If possible place the trap where you can see it without being seen. Put the bate in the trap at the same time every day. In a week or so they will be waiting on dinner to arrive.

Keep this up for a several weeks to a month or more and you will find out how many are around. You may have to increase the amount of bate so that several enter the trap at one time. When you think the whole family is feeding set the trap to spring and you will catch them all at once.

The key is not to get in a rush. The animals are not stupid and as soon as you catch one in the trap the rest will avoid it.
gozer9
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join:2010-08-09
Rochester, NY

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You could use sand to look for tracks under the eaves. Two favorite entry's are the crotch where an eave terminates at the roof like a dormer and the one I have seen the most is they chew the top on the facial under the drip edge above the back of the gutters or if you have the square roof vents the screening can fail you will have to feel with your hand because its hard to see.
You can rent or borrow traps from animal service or rent from a rental store

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
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join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

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In my case, there was an areas where low hanging tree limbs afforded them access to the back corner of the house.

When I got up and looked closely, they had chewed wood and pushed up flashing in a corner area where guttering came together, they had displaced edge flashing and actually pushed shingles upwards while damaging the soffit wood by chewing or clawing it. It wasn't a large hole, but then they don't need a large hole to get in. Proper repairs, as well as trimming back tree limbs, ended the problem.

Raphion
join:2000-10-14
Samsara

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It probably doesn't make a huge difference in your problem, but the fact that you hear them "a few hours after dusk" leads me to think that these are rats or mice, not squirrels. Squirrels go to sleep at dusk, they wouldn't be active at night.
KirkyInCT
join:2008-11-04
Higganum, CT

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Flying squirrels are active at night... And they can get in anywhere. We had a guy come out and sealed up the house, put up one way doors and haven't had an issue since.

Our egress problem was about a 1/2 inch gap between the soffit vent under a dormer roof overhang and the roof. It was strange, they somehow fell into a wall cavity and couldn't climb out. Go figure! We needed to open the wall,... You DO NOT want them dying inside.
Tig
join:2006-06-29
Carrying Place, ON

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said by Raphion:

It probably doesn't make a huge difference in your problem, but the fact that you hear them "a few hours after dusk" leads me to think that these are rats or mice, not squirrels. Squirrels go to sleep at dusk, they wouldn't be active at night.

Squirrels aftervdarkbdoesn't make sense to me.
Although when we had critters at our old place, I referred to them as squirrels or kittens.
If it's a real squirrel it will exit the roof when the daytime heat builds. Hope for an early summer.
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

They're squirrels. No question about it. I've seen the mother/juveniles running around on the roof many times, and when I do hear them at night, it's for a very short duration, like they're getting up to take a dump or something.

Anyways, I figured out how they're getting in! I found a couple of holes in the gables which had about an inch/inch and a half clearance in them. I shoved a couple of pine cones in each one and checked back the next day to see if they were removed. Not only were they removed, but the tree rats were nice enough to gnaw the holes a few times larger so pine cones wouldn't jam them up anymore.

Now I'm wondering if I should trap them first, or just seal up the holes with expansion foam and hardware cloth during the day while they're out. Some say close up the holes while they're gone and if you do a good enough job, they'll leave. Others have said that they'll spend days running around your roof looking for a new way in, gnawing at anything\everything until they can find a weak point they can exploit, and cause a lot of damage in the process.

The problem with trapping them is I only have access to a 5"x5"x24" Havahart cage (nothing larger is available in stores) and the city's animal control department doesn't rent them out. Plus I'd also have to drive each one 10-15 miles away so they don't return.

Or I could spend ~$250 on an exterminator, which is becoming a more tempting option every day.
Spensergig
Past my Prime
MVM
join:2000-03-26
Bradenton, FL

Spensergig

MVM

Victor Rat Traps - about $2 each at Home Depot.
Bait with Orange candy slices (1 slice does 4-5 traps.)

Use grocery bags to handle the remains.
Replace trap if blood is spilled, else just replace teh bait and reset.

Check every couple of days for about two weeks.

StillLearn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-21
Streamwood, IL

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said by TheSMJ:

Now I'm wondering if I should trap them first, or just seal up the holes with expansion foam and hardware cloth during the day while they're out. Some say close up the holes while they're gone and if you do a good enough job, they'll leave. Others have said that they'll spend days running around your roof looking for a new way in, gnawing at anything\everything until they can find a weak point they can exploit, and cause a lot of damage in the process.

On TV I have seen an exterminator deal with bats by hanging a net over the opening. The bats could find their way out by pushing behind the net, but they could not find their way back in. I wonder if an exterminator has a way to do the equivalent for squirrels.
said by TheSMJ:

Plus I'd also have to drive each one 10-15 miles away so they don't return.

While you are at it, dump your trash and yard waste at the same time. It would be just if somebody reciprocates by dumping rodents in your neighborhood.

Seriously, if you could use car exhaust to the cage under a tarp or other humane method, that would be better. »www.havahart.com/store/l ··· squirrel shows traps that Havahart thinks are suitable for squirrels.
TheSMJ
join:2009-08-19
Farmington, MI

TheSMJ

Member

said by Spensergig:

Victor Rat Traps - about $2 each at Home Depot.
Bait with Orange candy slices (1 slice does 4-5 traps.)

Use grocery bags to handle the remains.
Replace trap if blood is spilled, else just replace teh bait and reset.

Check every couple of days for about two weeks.

Originally I didn't want to kill them, but my patients is wearing thin.
said by StillLearn:

said by TheSMJ:

Now I'm wondering if I should trap them first, or just seal up the holes with expansion foam and hardware cloth during the day while they're out. Some say close up the holes while they're gone and if you do a good enough job, they'll leave. Others have said that they'll spend days running around your roof looking for a new way in, gnawing at anything\everything until they can find a weak point they can exploit, and cause a lot of damage in the process.

On TV I have seen an exterminator deal with bats by hanging a net over the opening. The bats could find their way out by pushing behind the net, but they could not find their way back in. I wonder if an exterminator has a way to do the equivalent for squirrels.

There is such a thing, but they don't seem to sell them in stores around here.
said by StillLearn:

said by TheSMJ:

Plus I'd also have to drive each one 10-15 miles away so they don't return.

While you are at it, dump your trash and yard waste at the same time. It would be just if somebody reciprocates by dumping rodents in your neighborhood.

I don't see the connection, unless I drop them off at a location entirely uninhabited by squirrels. I don't think such a location exists in the United States so I doubt I'll just stumble upon one.

StillLearn
Premium Member
join:2002-03-21
Streamwood, IL

StillLearn

Premium Member

said by TheSMJ:

said by StillLearn:

said by TheSMJ:

Plus I'd also have to drive each one 10-15 miles away so they don't return.

While you are at it, dump your trash and yard waste at the same time. It would be just if somebody reciprocates by dumping rodents in your neighborhood.

I don't see the connection, unless I drop them off at a location entirely uninhabited by squirrels. I don't think such a location exists in the United States so I doubt I'll just stumble upon one.

You find the squirrels with a penchant for nesting in houses to be unwelcome in your neighborhood. You propose to dump them into somebody else's neighborhood.