Varmint Gone Anchorage was called in to complete a squirrel removal project in a large, two story home near the Eagle River. The customers believe they were dealing with their issue for about 1 year.

The removal process began with an inspection inside the home’s attic. The customers were hearing a lot of movement in that vacinity, from about midnight to 4:00 am. Soon after, we found the culprits… six squirrels. After an inspection outside, we also located numerous holes that were designed to ventilate the attic but we quickly noticed that the bug mesh,meant to cover the ventilation holes, was no longer there. In saying so, this allowed easy access for the squirrels into the customer’s home.

The exclusion process began by setting our “one-way” gates over the existing access holes. These gates are designed to allow the squirrels to leave the building but they cannot re-enter. The following exclusion process includes sealing all roof gaps, ridge vents, other gable vents, and soffit vents with galvanized steel mesh and flashing material. It is highly critical to secure homes that harbor squirrels in the same fashion that we secure against bats. This is because squirrels, much like bats, can flatten themselves out and crawl into very small holes and gaps in roofs and soffits that are not properly secured. It is important to note that any hole larger than ¼” in diameter may allow the squirrels to re-enter.

Additionally, squirrel droppings can cause serious health issues. From these contaminates, fungus and mold can grow and spore when the weather gets warm. These spores work their way through attic accesses and unsecured air vents in ceilings, eventually leading to possible health issues in children and older people.

An additional option that we recommended to the homeowners, was the installation of squirrel houses that we have manufactured out of cedar. These homes give the squirrels a new home to dwell in, after being removed from the residence.

After the squirrels moved into their newly installed homes, the cleanup process within the attic was underway. This process includes our technician changing into our EPA Haz-Mat suit and putting on a special respirator. Following that, we used a Hepa-filtered vacuum to begin the removal of all droppings and contaminated insulation. Upon completion, an environmentally-safe sanitation solution was sprayed throughout the attic to disinfectant, sanitize, and deodorize. Lastly, we installed new insulation which concluded the project.

Varmint Gone supports conservation practices and highly recommends installation of squirrel boxes on your property as an alternative residence for the squirrels in your area. Varmint Gone Anchorage can assist you with squirrel removal from your home or business and squirrel control around your property in Alaska. Call us today for more information at 907-390-3099.