We were hearing scampering feed over our heads, then the drains and toilets started gurgling when someone was in the shower. I didn’t make the connection until we saw a dead squirrel hanging out of the soffit, with his head stuck.
The pest control guy I called found 12 places where our builder didn’t seal the attic properly against squirrels. He said that most builders don’t, because the code doesn’t require it. The repairs to seal the attic and replace the damage they did is $3 grand. The guy said we are getting off cheap because we caught the infestation early.
That doesn’t feel cheap, but I guess it could have been much worse. Little bastards.
14 Comments
Jen · September 26, 2025 at 10:43 am
Go to the pet store and get some shed snake skins. Lay them around up there. = No rodents.
ASG11M · September 26, 2025 at 11:57 am
Buy a bag of seed, corn, nuts… a .177 pellet rifle with scope…. a vantage pt from your porch or deck add a favorite beverage and maybe some tunes. Reduce squirrel population.
GTdiver · September 26, 2025 at 1:09 pm
Over on YT, EDgun Leshiy is waging a one-man war with air rifles against squirrels, chipmunks, and a host of other pests in his yard. Tannerite pellets exist.
JebTexas · September 26, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Damned yard rats. Had the same issue a few years ago.
Tom from East Tennessee · September 26, 2025 at 2:10 pm
That sucks! But at least you got them early.
I had something like that happen but it was racoons. Spent a week or two convincing ourselves that we didn’t really have an infestation until just couldn’t deny hearing the chittering etc. We had to get a “wrangler” (a real term) to trap them which took several nights and to then fix things up and seal the attic properly. More adult life hassles.
lynn · September 26, 2025 at 2:51 pm
^feed^feet ???
Just wait until you get raccoons in the overhead space. They really make a lot of noise, especially if mom drops a baby or two down into the walls.
SiG · September 26, 2025 at 3:11 pm
Three of four years ago, we had a stopped-up drain problem and got to the point of calling a plumber. He said squirrels had stashed acorns in the air tubes sticking out above the roof over the toilets and they see it all the time. We got rid of the oak by ’22 but that wasn’t the only or biggest reason.
My wife got attacked by a squirrel while in a group gathering at the zoo. I’ve had them coming at me acting like they’re expecting treats but not attacking.
Steady Steve · September 26, 2025 at 7:09 pm
Likely someone in your neighborhood is feeding them. We have the same problem.
Fishlaw · September 26, 2025 at 3:48 pm
We had a 90 year old home with an old roof inside the current roof. The old roof was very dry and well aged. A hole allowed squirrels into the attic. One day a light in the upstairs would not turn on. I hired an electrician to find the problem. He said a squirrel had eaten through the insulation on a wire in the attic, causing a short and we were lucky it didn’t cause a fire. With all the old, dry wood in the attic the house would have burned very fast. I had to rent a bucket lift to get to the second story to find the hole in the soffit and close it.
The problem with trapping or shooting squirrels is that there are so many of them, you can’t get rid of them.
@HomeInSC · September 26, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Our place is loaded with multple species of oaks, hickories, walnuts, and gazillions of squirrels. We have seven mature pecan trees. The year before last we gathered 50lbs of pecans. Last year they were loaded and we harvested zilch. This year is looking like last year. The squirrels cut down the green nuts as soon as they reach full size and long before the husks open and they are ready for harvest.
I used think squirrels were kinda cute. They’ve chewed up plastic pieces around the place, car battery terminals, and more. It’s time to reduce the their numbers. The poodles aren’t catching them fast enough.
A scoped 10-22 will do the job. Birdshot for aerial shots to avoid long range accidents.
I’ve had squirrel pan-fried, cajun style. It’s tasty. And Benjamin Franklin is reputed to have enjoyed squirrel pot pie.
One of the perks of getting old in SC: lifetime big/small game, salt/fresh fishing $9.
Engineering Burnout · September 26, 2025 at 5:57 pm
I put a house on the market and relocated to another state. My realtor called me and initially had thought someone broke in and vandalized the house. Turns out one (or more) squirrels found a route from the attic to the basement via the hot water heater exhaust tunnel. Finding themselves trapped; they destroyed windows, doors, trim and even a sliding glass door to escape. Cost me $6k to repair and put it back on the market. I have now declared war on the species and have been extracting my revenge since. Does anyone know how many squirrels equal $6k?
JimmaJoe · September 26, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Then there’s a whole ‘nother realm of what they do “under the hood.” Three trips to the mechanic and about $1100 later, those rascals had chewed wiring–entire harnesses of many wires–and I don’t know if I’ve resolved the problem…After first trip I got some live traps. One squirrel, one ‘coon, one possum–not good. After second trip, mothballs from the dollar store. They MOVED the mesh bag of mothballs out of their nest of shredded wiring & insulation. Finally got some peppermint oil from the ‘zon, plus declared martial law–shoot on sight. We’ll see…
Nebraska · September 27, 2025 at 7:43 am
I dispatched 37 in one year on my 60′ x 90′ city lot. Used a .177 cal. spring-type air gun. I removed the window screen and shot from inside the house to avoid “alarming to neighbors”.
They like chewing coaxial cables. Ham radio, cable TV, etc.
One old-timer in Wisconsin told me, “If you kill a squirrel, three come to the funeral!”.
Honk Honk · September 27, 2025 at 10:01 pm
We had raccon kit of 5 in the spring, at first I LOL at paw sticking through over kitchen sink.
Insurance said no and then covered it.
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