5 Dangers Posed By Squirrels Living In Your Attic
Posted on: 19 October 2020
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If they can, squirrels will enter a home through the roof. After all, attics contain lots of nice, soft nesting material in the form of insulation. Attics also make a good place to store food, such as acorns. But although squirrels are cute, they can become a danger to you and your household if allowed to run riot in your attic.
The best you can do if you discover you have squirrels in your attic is to hire an animal removal service to get rid of them in a humane manner. Otherwise, those squirrels could put you and your home in danger.
1. Disease
Squirrel droppings contain bacteria that can harm humans. For instance, if you or another family member are exposed to the squirrels or their droppings, you could contract salmonella, which will cause you to experience nausea, vomiting, and fever among other symptoms. Squirrels also carry ticks and fleas, which are also harmful to humans.
2. Insulation Damage
Squirrels love insulation, as it is soft and makes good bedding for their nests. But the more damage squirrels do to your insulation, the more heat your home will lose in the winter. This will cause your energy bills to skyrocket as you struggle to heat your home during winter.
3. Fire
Squirrels, like other rodents, tend to gnaw on their environment. If they gnaw at the electrical wiring in your attic and in your wall spaces, they could cause an electrical short and start a fire in your home. If this happens while you are sleeping, the consequences could be disastrous.
4. Bad Odors
If you have a colony of squirrels living in your roof space, their urine and feces will very quickly pile up. In time, a foul odor will begin to seep into your home, through your ceiling. The musty odor of rotting food will also eventually make its way down from the attic and into your living spaces.
5. Water Leaks
Squirrels damage roofing and siding. And the longer they live in your attic, the more damage they will do. This damage will allow rainwater to leak into your home and cause untold damage. You need to have the squirrels removed as soon as possible so you can fix the damage they have caused.
Have you discovered a colony of squirrels living in your attic? Then get in touch with an animal removal expert near you. Then you can inspect and repair your roof and attic to prevent more squirrels from gaining access. For more information about wildlife removal, contact a local pest control.