Does this sound familiar? You hear a scratching noise in your attic that gets louder and louder. You may even hear a light flapping noise or scurrying about as a small critter runs back and forth. If this is the case, you may have squirrels in the attic or bats roosting.
Bats and rodents love to make themselves cozy in your attic. Attics are warm and provide shelter from the elements and from predators. With bats, however, you can only remove them during a certain time of year. It’s illegal to kill bats and they must be
rehomed humanely. You also need to safely and humanely rehome any squirrels in your attic, which requires the help of a professional pest removal service.
So if you hear noises in your attic or even in your walls, you need to address them immediately with the help of a professional pest removal service. But it also helps to give them as much information as possible, taking note of any noises or smells in your house. Here’s what to look for.
Bats in the Attic
In NJ, the “safe dates” to
rehome bats in your attic are between April 1 and April 30 and August 1 and October 1. If you don’t have a professional remove them during this time frame, you’ll have seasonal guests.
But what should you look for? For starters, if you smell ammonia, you may have a bat nest in the attic. Their feces — also called guano — has a strong smell. You may also see bat droppings or notice stains on your ceiling. Scratching and squawking sounds are other signs of bats in your attic, along with bats flying around your attic vents and your roof.
When guano dries, its microscopic pores can be inhaled by you or your family.
This can lead to histoplasmosis, a respiratory disease. Always have a professional check out any sounds coming from your attic. But how can they help with your bat infestation?
A professional can install bat exclusion doors. This provides a one-way exit for bats to safely leave your attic, without being able to re-enter. You can work to prevent bats from entering by hanging CDs (or other reflective items) around your house, as their reflective nature can repel bats.
Squirrels in the Attic
For a squirrel in the attic, they come for a variety of reasons. They enter your attic if it's mating season or if there are more local predators than normal. They also enter attics when their habitats are disrupted, searching for a new place to build a den.
Squirrels also enter attics when it gets cold out. Keep in mind that they don’t hibernate in the winter, however. They spend more time staying warm inside their den and may even shack up with other squirrels.
A squirrel nest in the attic (or even a single squirrel) is a threat to you, your family, and your home. For starters, they will chew electrical wires. This is very dangerous and can lead to electrical fires. Since squirrels bring all kinds of debris into your attic as they build nests — including leaves — they can make the situation even more dangerous.
As with bats, if you suspect squirrels or other animals are in your attic, call in the pros to remove them safely, humanely, and efficiently. You can also install mesh over your vents, working to prevent critters from entering in the first place.
Just be sure to remove all animals from your attic before installing any mesh. Otherwise, you want to use humane traps to remove them. Again, professional pest removal can help you with this.
If you want to know how to keep squirrels out, you could always soak rags in apple cider vinegar and place them around your attic. They hate the smell and might steer clear of your space.
Prevent Fall and Winter Pests
Although you can take proper precautions to prevent fall and winter pests, squirrels in the attic — along with bats — can still enter your house. If you have animals in your attic, your crawlspace, or between your walls, it’s time to let a professional pest removal service assist you.
Serene Property Services can help you keep animals out of the attic. We offer humane pest removal services in Sparta, NJ, and in the surrounding areas. We also create custom pest control plans, tailored to meet your individual needs.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We service all of Sussex County, NJ, and Warwick, NY.
