Squirrel Removal

We remove squirrels from attics and soffits and seal chew-damaged entry points — including the wiring risk insurers care about.

Squirrels in the attic mean nesting, noise, and — most seriously — chewed wiring that poses a fire risk insurers take seriously. In Central New York, gray and flying squirrels enter through roofline gaps, vents, and chewed soffits, often via overhanging branches.

We remove the squirrels and seal the entry points with materials they can't chew, then address any chew damage and nesting mess. Removal without sealing just invites the next squirrel, so exclusion is the core of the job.

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Squirrels in the attic: chew damage and insurance risk

Gray squirrels are the most common attic invader in Central New York, and flying squirrels — smaller, nocturnal, and often unnoticed for months — are a close second in wooded areas. They enter through roofline gaps, gable vents, and chewed soffits, frequently using overhanging branches as a highway. Once inside, they nest, and they gnaw — and squirrel-chewed wiring is a documented cause of house fires, which is why an attic squirrel problem is more than a noise nuisance.

The fix is removal followed by exclusion: getting the squirrels out, then sealing every entry with materials they can't chew through. Because squirrels are active climbers and persistent chewers, sealing has to be thorough and durable. Where they've nested and left droppings, insulation cleanup restores the attic and removes the scent that can draw the next animal.

Signs of squirrels in the attic

Scampering and scratching in the attic or upper walls, usually at dawn and dusk.
Chewed entry holes at the roofline, soffit, or gable vent.
Nesting material and droppings in the attic.
Chewed wiring, insulation, or stored items.
Squirrels seen entering the roofline or running along branches to the roof.

How we treat it

1
Inspection
We confirm squirrels, locate all entry points, and assess chew damage and nesting.
2
Removal
We remove the squirrels using one-way exclusion or trapping appropriate to the situation and the season.
3
Sealing
We seal roofline, soffit, and vent entries with durable, chew-resistant materials.
4
Damage & cleanup
We note chewed wiring for repair and clean nesting material and droppings, restoring insulation where needed.
5
Prevention
We trim-advise and secure vulnerable points so squirrels can't regain access.

What to expect

We time removal around denning season so young aren't trapped inside.
Sealing must be thorough — squirrels chew, so any weak point gets tested.
Chewed wiring should be inspected by an electrician; we flag what we find.
Attic cleanup and insulation restoration are available as add-ons.

Seasonality in Central NY

Late winter to spring: primary denning/birthing season; squirrels seek attics for nests.
Late summer to fall: a second denning push as a new generation looks for winter shelter.
Winter: squirrels shelter in occupied attic nests, staying active in cold weather.

What it costs

Squirrel jobs are priced by the number of entry points, the difficulty of access, and any cleanup and restoration. Sealing a single chewed vent is smaller than securing a whole compromised roofline.

We prioritize durable sealing, since that's what prevents the far more expensive outcome of chewed wiring and repeat intrusions.

How to prevent it

Trim branches back from the roof to remove the squirrels' highway.
Screen gable and soffit vents with chew-resistant mesh.
Seal roofline and fascia gaps before denning season.
Cap the chimney and secure any attic penetrations.

Signs of squirrels — and which kind

Squirrels announce themselves with fast, scurrying, scratching sounds in the attic or upper walls, and — tellingly — they're most active in daytime, especially early morning and late afternoon. That daytime activity is the easiest way to distinguish gray squirrels from nocturnal intruders like raccoons or flying squirrels. You'll often find a clean, gnawed entry hole at a soffit, gable vent, roof edge, or where the roofline meets a dormer, along with chewed wood and, sometimes, cached nuts or shredded insulation gathered into a nest.

Central New York has two attic-invading squirrels. The eastern gray squirrel is the common daytime culprit, entering through rooflines and chewing to enlarge gaps. The northern flying squirrel is smaller, strictly nocturnal, and often arrives in groups, so nighttime scampering and gliding sounds — with the animals never seen by day — can point to flying squirrels instead. The distinction matters because their habits, and the timing of exclusion around their young, differ.

Why CNY attics are prime squirrel real estate

The mature hardwood canopy across so much of Central New York is ideal squirrel habitat, and overhanging limbs give squirrels easy rooftop access to the exact vulnerable points on a house — soffits, fascia, gable vents, and dormer junctions. Older homes with wood trim and existing gaps are especially inviting, and once a squirrel finds a warm, dry attic it will gnaw to enlarge the opening and settle in.

Timing follows the squirrel breeding calendar, which in this region peaks roughly in late winter (February–March) and again in late summer. Females move into attics specifically to nest and raise young, so a chewing sound in March often means a litter is present. That's a critical detail for exclusion: sealing the adult out while dependent young remain inside leaves them to die in the walls, so the young have to be accounted for before the entry is closed.

Chewing, fire risk, and damage

The headline risk with squirrels is fire. Like all rodents, they gnaw continuously to wear down their incisors, and attic wiring is a frequent target — chewed insulation on electrical lines is a well-documented fire hazard that home insurers take seriously. That single risk is reason enough not to let a squirrel problem ride.

Beyond wiring, squirrels shred and foul insulation, gnaw structural wood and stored belongings, and their droppings and urine contaminate the attic and can carry parasites. An animal that dies in an inaccessible wall or soffit creates odor and a secondary pest problem. And because they chew to enlarge entries, a small gap ignored in fall can become a wide-open access point — and an entrenched nesting site — by spring.

Why eviction, exclusion, and repair go together

Squirrel removal done right is a sequence, not a single act: confirm whether young are present, evict the animals humanely (often using one-way doors that let them out but not back in, timed around the young), seal every entry point to a standard squirrels can't chew through, and repair the damage they caused. Skipping any step invites failure — seal too early and you trap young inside; remove without sealing and the next squirrel moves into the same inviting hole.

This is also work at height and around wiring, which makes it both technical and hazardous for a homeowner. A professional brings the ability to find the real (and often multiple) entry points along a complex roofline, the right exclusion materials and hardware to keep a determined chewer out, and the follow-through to confirm the attic stays empty. That combination — humane eviction, thorough sealing, and damage repair — is what turns a recurring attic problem into a solved one.

Frequently asked questions

Are squirrels in the attic really a fire risk?

Yes. Squirrels gnaw constantly, and chewed wiring is a documented cause of house fires. That's the main reason not to ignore attic squirrels, beyond the noise and mess.

How are they getting in?

Through roofline gaps, gable and soffit vents, and chewed fascia — often reached by branches overhanging the roof. We locate every entry and seal it.

Will they come back after removal?

Not if the entries are sealed with chew-resistant materials. Squirrels test weak points, so thorough, durable sealing is what makes removal last.

Do you handle flying squirrels?

Yes. Flying squirrels are smaller, nocturnal, and often go unnoticed, but the approach is the same — removal plus thorough exclusion.

Can you clean up the attic afterward?

Yes. We remove nesting material and droppings and can restore soiled insulation as an add-on, which also removes scent that attracts new animals.

What about chewed wires?

We flag any chewed wiring we find so you can have an electrician assess and repair it. Sealing the squirrels out prevents further damage.

How do I know it's squirrels and not something else?

Squirrels are active in the daytime — fast scratching and scurrying in the attic in the early morning and late afternoon — which sets them apart from nocturnal raccoons and flying squirrels. You'll usually also find a gnawed entry hole at a soffit, vent, or roofline. Nighttime-only activity may point to flying squirrels instead, which changes the approach.

Why is it urgent to deal with squirrels?

Mainly fire risk. Squirrels gnaw constantly, and attic wiring is a common target — chewed electrical insulation is a documented fire hazard insurers take seriously. They also shred insulation, damage wood, and, because they chew to enlarge openings, a small gap can become a wide entry and a nesting site quickly.

There's scratching in early spring — could there be babies?

Quite possibly. Squirrel breeding peaks in late winter in our area, and females nest in attics to raise young. That matters a lot for removal: sealing the adult out while dependent young remain would trap them inside. We check for young and time the exclusion so the whole family is out before the entry is closed.

Will they just chew back in after you seal?

Not when it's sealed properly. Squirrels can chew through weak patches, so we exclude with materials and hardware built to keep a determined chewer out, close every entry point (not just the obvious one), and follow up to confirm the attic stays empty. Sealing is what makes the fix last.

Our guarantee

Covered by our defined-term service guarantee: if covered pests return during the service period, we re-treat at no additional charge. See Our Guarantee for terms and exclusions.

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