Squirrel-Proofing Your Roof and Eaves

Squirrels are strong, agile and persistent. Anywhere they can get a head through, they will try to get a body through, and they will chew to make it happen.

Proofing is worth doing once the roof space is clear, and it is a good case for a walk around the outside of the house with a pair of binoculars.

Do the order of work right

Proofing comes after any squirrels have been dealt with, not before. Sealing a hole with an animal still inside, or with young in a nest, causes real suffering and usually ends with new damage as it chews its way out.

If you have any reason to think the loft is occupied, such as noise or droppings, have it inspected first.

Plan the job around the calendar as well. Late summer and early autumn are sensible times to check and repair, before squirrels look for winter shelter. In spring, hold off sealing anything until you have confirmed no young are inside, as that is when litters are most likely.

The weak spots to look at

Squirrels follow the same routes again and again. Look from the ground and, if you can do so safely, from a ladder held by someone else, or ask a roofer to check. Do not walk on a roof yourself.

• Gaps where the fascia meets the soffit
• Slipped, cracked or lifted tiles, particularly at the eaves
• Open or damaged gable and soffit vents
• Gaps around pipes, flues and cable entries
• Rotting or soft timber at the roofline
• Dormer and bay roof junctions

Materials that stand up to gnawing

Soft fillers, expanding foam and plastic tend not to last because squirrels chew straight through them. Tough, rigid materials such as galvanised or stainless mesh, metal flashing and solid replacement timber are far more durable.

Fix mesh firmly, with no gaps at the edges where a squirrel can get a grip. Vents should still be able to breathe, so use a mesh that allows airflow.

Take away the access routes

Squirrels jump surprisingly far. Branches that touch or overhang the roof are a bridge, and so are fences, sheds and climbing plants that run up to the eaves.

Cutting back branches, ideally well away from the roofline, makes a real difference. Check whether any trees are protected before you do any work, and look at the guidance on nesting birds, which are also affected by tree cutting in spring and summer.

Satellite dishes, aerials and cables strung from a pole or neighbouring roof can serve as tightropes too, so look at the whole route, not only the last jump.

Check and maintain

Walk round after storms and in late summer, when squirrels start looking for winter shelter. Fresh scratch marks or sawdust at the same spot are a sign they are testing the repair.

Essex Pest Solutions can advise on what a squirrel inspection finds, while the building work itself is a job for a roofer or carpenter. Having both parts of the job done properly is what makes it last.

Keep a short record of what you find and where, with photographs if you can. If activity returns, you will know whether it is the same weak spot or a new one, and a roofer or pest technician can act on it faster.

Frequently asked questions