Squirrels are creatures that can be cute until they directly affect your home’s wear! They are naturally opportunistic scavengers that are always prepared to take the necessary measures required for food and shelter. Unfortunately, if they see the opportunity arise, they can also take residence in your home! It’s not unheard of to see a nest of birds in your gutters or eaves, with squirrels however you may find them in any nook or cranny of your home that has an opening. If they are in your attic or other places in your home where it can affect your home systems, squirrel damages may cause you problems.
Does homeowners insurance cover squirrel damage?
Generally speaking, standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover rodent damages or removal. However, if you carry comprehensive insurance you probably are covered. Depending on the company you’re with, if damages are unexpected and sudden, repairs can be covered versus if it has occurred gradually over time (in which case they wouldn’t be.) If you undergo regular annual home inspections as recommended, you’ll be able to spot signs of damages earlier on.
What does squirrel damage look like?
Squirrel destruction to homes can range from exterior to interior damages that can affect your home’s structural make-up or systems.
Here are Signs of Squirrel Damage to Homes:
- Chewed up fascia boards
- Chewed attic insulation
- Chewed wires
- Exterior or interior damages such as holes or tears indicating entry points
- Wood chips in unexpected places
- Torn shingles (Shingle Roof Repair)
- Odors of urine, feces or dead animal
- Rotting floorboards, siding or drywall
- Unexpected damages to personal property
- Torn up gardens or damaged bird feeders
Are squirrels dangerous?
Squirrels can carry diseases in their urine (Leptospirosis,) feces (Salmonella bacteria), and ticks (Lyme Disease) that can be detrimental to human health. Rabies is also a possibility for all rodents. Finally, the risk of Tularemia can come about from handling sick or dead animals.
As far as immediate dangers from squirrels, if they have rabies they may be more aggressive. Generally speaking, a bite from a rabies-infected squirrel won’t transmit the virus to a human but it can transmit it to your pets.
Can squirrels chew through walls?
Squirrels have a chewing drive due to their teeth that never stop in their growing process, that’s why they always need to be chewing on something in order to grind them down. When a squirrel gets stuck in a home and they are not finding sources of food, they will chew on anything in its way (besides harder material like metal) to get what they want. That being said, tearing through the inside of a sturdy wall from one side directly to the outside can be a feat. If there are already vulnerable areas such as cracks or holes, it would be easier for them to chew around it and make an opening for them to crawl through. They can also chew around plumbing vents, chimneys, ridge vents, shingles and ducts (Duct Cleaning.)
How do you get rid of squirrels naturally?
The best squirrel repellents are irritation (like offensive odors) or taste based. A natural squirrel repellent for example, can include diced chili peppers with added water in a spray bottle. The capsaicin in the pepper will create a burning sensation around the nose and mouth much like it does to humans. Spray it around your home and for upkeep make sure to spray it after it’s been raining. Another option can be dropping peppermint oil onto cotton balls or placing peppermint plants around your garden or home. Lastly, mothballs placed in wire mesh or nylon stockings around affected areas are great repellents too.
Squirrel Prevention
- Remove food from your yard as that is the likely attraction.
- If you have a bird feeder, squirrel proof it.
- Place bird nets, chicken wire and fence stakes around plants they like to eat.
- Seal any openings around your home with caulk and steel mesh wire.
- Fill or cover roofing gaps with sheet metal flashing and a new shingle.
- Make sure there are metal hardware clothes firmly behind and around the edges of soffits, gables, power vents and caps on chimneys gables, soffits, and power vents in the attic.
Squirrels naturally like to stick around environments where there is constant availability of food or shelter. As long as you take basic upkeep measures around your home or undergo home inspections, you’ll be able to prevent a squirrel infestation and the subsequent squirrel damages that come with it!
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