How Do Squirrels Get in Your Attic?
Squirrels are persistent, agile climbers with incredibly strong teeth. They can jump up to 10 feet horizontally and drop from overhanging branches directly onto your roof. Once on the roof, they chew through fascia boards, soffit panels, gable vents, and even roof shingles to create entry holes into your attic. In the Raleigh-Triangle area — the City of Oaks — dense tree canopy provides squirrels easy access to virtually every roofline.
Both gray squirrels and flying squirrels invade attics in the Triangle, but they behave very differently. Gray squirrels are active during the day (you'll hear them in the morning and late afternoon), while flying squirrels are nocturnal (activity at night, often mistaken for mice).
Signs of Squirrels in Your Attic
- Daytime scratching and scurrying — gray squirrels are most active early morning (6-8 AM) and late afternoon (4-6 PM). If you hear activity during these times, it's almost certainly squirrels, not mice or rats.
- Chew marks on the exterior — look for fresh chew marks on fascia boards, soffit panels, around gable vents, and at roof edges. Wood shavings on the ground below are a telltale sign.
- Squirrels on your roof — if you regularly see squirrels running along your roofline or gutters, they're likely accessing an entry point.
- Light visible from inside the attic — squirrel chew holes often go all the way through, letting daylight into the attic.
- Droppings — squirrel droppings are barrel-shaped, about 3/8 inch long, and usually found near entry points and nesting areas.
- Nesting material — shredded insulation, leaves, and bark gathered into a nest, usually in a corner or against a wall.
The Real Danger: Chewed Electrical Wires
The most dangerous consequence of squirrels in your attic is chewed electrical wiring. Squirrels chew wires for the same reason they chew everything else — to wear down their continuously growing teeth. Exposed wires in an attic full of dry insulation and nesting material create a genuine fire risk. Electrical fires caused by rodent and squirrel damage are more common than most homeowners realize.
If squirrels have been in your attic, we strongly recommend having your attic wiring inspected by a licensed electrician after removal. This is not something to skip.
Other Squirrel Damage
- Insulation destruction — squirrels tear up insulation for nesting material, reducing your home's energy efficiency and creating a mess
- Water damage — entry holes in the roof allow rain to enter, leading to water damage, rot, and mold
- Staining and odor — urine and droppings accumulate over time
- Structural damage — persistent chewing weakens fascia, soffit, and structural elements around entry points
How to Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Attic
Effective squirrel removal requires a systematic approach — not just setting a trap at the obvious hole:
- Professional inspection — identify ALL entry points, not just the obvious one. Squirrels typically have multiple entries and exits.
- Humane trapping or exclusion — live-cage traps at active entries and one-way exclusion doors allow squirrels to leave but not return.
- Complete sealing — every entry point must be sealed with animal-proof materials. Missing even one gap means squirrels will be back.
- Damage repair — fix chewed fascia, soffit, and roofing to prevent water damage and re-entry.
Why DIY Doesn't Work
Sealing the obvious hole without removing the squirrels first traps them inside — leading to desperate chewing through walls, wiring, and into living spaces. And removing squirrels without sealing all entry points means new squirrels move right in. Professional removal addresses both sides of the equation.