Squirrel Removal in Snellville, GA

Squirrels in your Snellville home

Squirrels aren't breaking into Snellville attics because there are more of them. They're getting in because the roof edges have aged. A squirrel tests wood with its teeth, and the painted wood or hardboard fascia on a 1970s–90s house has spent decades under a dripping gutter. Once that board softens, a squirrel can chew a hole the size of a tennis ball through it in an afternoon. The other common spots on houses this age are the roof-return corner where a lower roof meets a wall, a construction gap the original builders often left barely closed, and gable-vent screening that has rusted or pulled loose from its frame.

Once a squirrel is inside, the damage builds. Squirrels chew wiring, flatten and soil insulation, and nest against the roof deck. A house that has kept its original attic wiring for 40 years has no margin to spare. Snellville roofs also face a timing trap. Many of these houses are on their second or third roof, and a re-roof crew typically replaces shingles and leaves rotted fascia and open vents as they are. A new roof does not mean a squirrel-proof roof.

The wear map of a 1970s–90s roofline

When a pro inspects a Snellville roof, they are working through a list of parts that fail with age. They look at the fascia behind the gutter, where water has dripped for decades; the roof-return corners, where two rooflines meet and the builder left a small gap; the gable vents, where the screen behind the louvers has torn or come loose; and the soffit panels, which can sag or separate from the fascia. A squirrel usually picks just one of these to start, but the others are still open. Closing only the hole in use simply moves the squirrel to the next weak spot.

Why sealing the mother out makes it worse

The most expensive mistake homeowners make is nailing a board over the hole while the squirrel is out. If she has young inside, she won't give up. She will chew a new way in right beside the patch, often through the roof deck or siding, and that does far more damage than the first hole. If she can't get back in, the young die in the attic and you end up with a smell problem. Squirrels here usually have young in spring and again in fall, though some years the season runs longer. That is why a pro confirms whether young are present before anything is closed.

Old wiring, chewed insulation

A squirrel's front teeth never stop growing, so it chews constantly. Wiring, the edges of ductwork and the vapor barrier on insulation all get chewed. In an attic where the wiring is as old as the house, chewed insulation on a wire is a real fire hazard. The nesting itself packs down and soils insulation around the entry point. Some of that may need to be removed, but be wary of anyone who quotes a full-attic insulation replacement before showing you the actual damage. Often only the area around the nest is affected.

Trees help, but they are not the whole story

The trees in Snellville yards have grown up with the houses, and a limb hanging over the roof is the easiest way up. Trimming those limbs back is still worth doing. But squirrels also climb brick corners, downspouts and utility lines, so trimming alone won't keep a squirrel off a house that already has an opening. The opening is the real problem. Close it properly and the trees don't matter much. Trim the trees and leave the opening, and a squirrel will still find a way up.

Night noises usually mean flying squirrels

Gray squirrels are active by day, mostly early morning and late afternoon. If the activity overhead runs well into the night, you likely have southern flying squirrels, small nocturnal gliders that live in groups and can fit through gaps a gray squirrel can't. On an older house that means checking the narrow spots too, such as the small gaps at soffit seams, around the ridge vent and where wires come in. The removal is the same job, but the inspection has to look for smaller openings, and roof rats need to be ruled out as well.

What the pro does: one-way door, then metal

After every opening is mapped, the pro puts a one-way door over the active hole so the squirrels can leave to feed but can't get back in. Live traps may be used too, and those have to be checked every day. When the attic is confirmed empty and no young are left behind, each worn spot gets repaired and sealed with metal, such as galvanized mesh, flashing or a new vent screen, so a squirrel can't chew back through. Done properly, the repair should last as long as the house. Ask for the warranty in writing.