How to Evict Squirrels

Contents

• Introduction:  Extreme Squirrel Problems

• (Dealing with desperate homeowners)

• Chapter 1:  Understanding the Problem

• (Talents of the Eastern Grey Squirrel)

• Chapter 2:  Assessment of the Situation

• (Short or Long Term Problem?)

• Chapter 3:  The Solution

• (Create a Nasty Attic Environment)

• Chapter 4:  The Evictor Strobe Light

• (The Ticket to Successful Eviction)

• Conclusion:  The Satisfied Customer

• (The Eviction is Permanent)

Extreme Squirrel Problems

I deal with desperate people.  Even the sweet little old ladies tell me, “Mr. Earl I don’t care what you have to do to the squirrels, just get them out of my attic.”

I solve squirrel problems. They are the really tough problems that wildlife control companies have walked away from.  The squirrel problems where shooting, poisoning, electrocuting, and trapping have been tried without success. I solve 35 year old squirrel problems where the homeowners have one of two choices; either learn to live with the squirrels or move.  Homeowners will often move out in the summer when the squirrels are nesting in trees.  Guess what? In the fall new homeowners are faced with the same old squirrel problem.  

This book covers the method I use to get squirrels out of attics and crawl spaces. I am 100% successful.  What surprises many people is that my techniques are safe and harmless.  When I arrive at a customer’s doorstep I tell them they are talking to the right person, and their squirrel problems are coming to an end.  I have my own techniques and invented a new product that makes permanent squirrel eviction possible.  The game is over.  I win and the squirrels lose. 

Understanding the Problem

I’ve seen a squirrel climb the brick wall of a four story apartment house in a matter of seconds. Squirrels can climb stucco just as easily.

Also consider how a squirrel deals with obstacles. It can pull apart terra cotta and slate roofs. A squirrel can chew straight through good quality shingles and sturdy wood to gain access to your house.  (My own roof is a perfect example.)  With the biting power of 22,000 pounds per square inch, a squirrel can chew through aluminum fascia capping and louvered aluminum gable vents.  Even brick is not impenetrable.  I have seen where several squirrels climbed down a chimney and pushed in a brick to enter an attic crawl space. 

Battling squirrel problems is like fighting a miniature army.  A squirrel will chew a hole in high hard to reach parts of the roof. A squirrel may work alone or with others in groups.  Several squirrels will work in shifts, day and night.  At night they are chewing a hole from the inside of the attic to the outside.  That is the aggravating sound you hear at 1:30 in the morning.

Ever wonder why you have not actually seen a squirrel chewing a hole in your fascia?  Professor James Hare of the University of Manitoba reports; squirrels warn each other of impending danger, in an ultrasonic voice above our hearing range. 

Squirrels are also very territorial. They have staked off your attic as THEIR TERRITORY.  In large attics, one end is the nesting area and the opposite end is the latrine.  That unmistakable odor of urine is imbedded in your attic, marking THEIR TERRITORY.

Keep in mind the life span of an Eastern Grey Squirrel ranges between three and eight years.  In houses with infestations spanning decades, generations of squirrels may have been born in a single house.  A squirrel mates in early winter and produce offspring by late spring.  The average litter consists of four squirrels.  A second litter in mid summer is not uncommon.  Usually, there is a food stash of nuts stored in the walls, attracting many more squirrels to your house than you might have previously imagined. 

Assessment of the Situation

A long term squirrel problem is embarrassing.  Who wants to admit that a rodent is able to live continuously in their home for twenty or thirty years? It is also dangerous.  Roughly fifty percent of all the attics I enter have wires chewed by squirrels.  Often, wires are chewed down to the bare copper. 

I ask my customers for the real story.  How long have squirrels REALLY been up there?  “Okay, you have chewed wires in the attic. It smells real bad up there.  I see extensive rafter chewing and there is evidence of multiple nesting areas.  Outside on your roof, the shingles show aggressive chewing, and the holes in the fascia are now extended slots, not just holes.   With the scenario I have just described the infestation has lasted more than twenty years.  The solution is the immediate installation of the Evictor strobe lights.  I have complete confidence in the use of these lights.  The high intensity strobe light drives squirrels out of an attic 100% of the time.  And, it is a permanent eviction.  (But more on that later.) 

As an experienced professional, and the inventor of The Evictor Strobe Light, I can quickly assess the damage and determine the seriousness of any squirrel infestation.  But what if you don’t work in pest control industry, what if you have little experience repairing your home.  What if you have moved into a house in the summer and now in the fall have a squirrel problem? Home inspectors do not always discover the holes before settlement.  And even though the previous owners made no mention of it, there is a nagging question in your mind.  Is this a new problem or an old problem?  How bad is my squirrel problem?

This is where I use my own techniques and get my hands dirty:

First, I find the entrance/exit holes.  Usually, there are two.  This is the small doorway that squirrels have found, or made by chewing, and are using to enter and leave your home. 

Then, I liberally coat the rim of the holes with a product called 4-The-Birds Gel.  It is harmless, but incredibly sticky and something that squirrels positively hate.

Finally, I leave the holes alone, and return in a few days. Then I look closely at where I smeared the gel.  If the gel looks untouched, if there is no fur sticking to it, then the squirrels are not aggressive.  After the second inspection I wait an additional three weeks.  If the gel still appears undisturbed, I simply close the holes.  

If, on the other hand, I return after a few days and the squirrels have been diving through the holes, leaving traces of fur in the gel.  If there appears to be more chew marks than before. If holes appear bigger, then no doubt, this is a SEVERE problem.  Their aggression tells me that they are returning to their HOME.  A squirrel family can occupy 3 different nests during the course of a year.  With SEVERE squirrel problems your warm attic is their most important nesting site. When it starts getting cold outside, they WANT to be inside your attic. 

Those of you with twenty or more years of squirrel problems know that when squirrels REALLY WANT to come inside, they ARE coming inside!

The Solution

So how is it possible to end a squirrels’ prolonged stay in an attic?  Here is the answer in a nut shell. (pun intended)

With any squirrel problem, you should first do the things that help your situation.  Remove any bird feeders, secure the garbage cans, and cut the tree limbs back around the house so squirrels do not have easy access to the roof.   

What they WANT must be changed!  Right now they see your attic as a nice place to live and they WANT to be there.  A nasty environment must be created, an environment so nasty that they will be repelled and NOT WANT to be there.

Easier said than done, right?  Well technology has caught up with the problem.  Years ago pest control professionals were able to drive squirrels, roof rats, and raccoons out of attics with the annoying 500 watt flash of a camera.  However, the flash developed so much heat that the technicians were afraid the attic would catch fire.

Today there is a product on the market that does something similar, but does NOT produce any heat.  This product is The Evictor by Evictor Products, Inc.  I co-invented it with the President of Evictor Products; Michael DeGinto.  It is a high intensity strobe light that comes in two sizes and pulses 90 times per minute.  The power of the smaller unit, the MB10K, is 175,000 candlepower.  The power of the larger unit, the MB100K, is one million candlepower.

I had squirrels in my own attic crawl space for 25 years.  I was anxious to solve my own problem.  Up until two years ago nothing worked.  I installed 3 of the smaller MB10K units.  I have been squirrel free ever since.  Sometimes it seems like a minor miracle not to hear them running, jumping, and chewing in the middle of the night.

After the strobe light installation, I was sure I had a winner.  I saw the squirrels building a new nest in my backyard maple tree, away from my house.  I was absolutely convinced when one squirrel descended halfway down the tree and scolded me as I walked by.  He seemed to know I was responsible for putting the strobe lights in the attic.

The Evictor Strobe Light

The Evictor Strobe Light is an important new tool. It can best be described as a repellent.  It annoys an animal’s eyesight and is intolerable. After installation of the strobe light Flying Squirrels and Eastern Grey Squirrels vacate the attic within one or two days.  Occasionally a customer will report an increase in squirrel activity the first night.  Don’t worry, the squirrels are just frustrated.  Generations have lived in the same attic for twenty or thirty years. The strobe light serves them an eviction notice and they are not happy giving up their territory.

The Evictor's owner’s manual offers practical guidelines for installation.

First, before entering the attic, make noise, then stop and listen.

The absence of noise in the attic usually means that the animals have left the area.  Shine a flash-light into the installation area before entering.  Remember, rodents with young can be aggressive.

I never want to accidentally surprise a squirrel.  If there is a drop staircase I usually slap it against the ceiling a few times before entering the attic. The noise scares them away. 

Next, you want to make sure the attic is clear.

In order for the MB10K & MB100K strobe light units to work properly, the space must be uncluttered and as dark as possible.  No other light source should be on to interfere with the performance of this product while in use.  If there are windows in the attic I tape cardboard over them to block off any outside light.

Then, plug in The Evictor.

It is highly recommended that a switch be placed near the entrance of the space where the unit can be turned on and off remotely.  I found that for small attics it is convenient to plug the MB10K unit into a nearby light fixture.

For large attics, where multiple strobe light units are used, I use extension cords and plug them into a power strip placed near the attic opening.  Using the on/off switch on the power strip, all the strobes lights can be turned on or off simultaneously.

Finally, for best results, it is highly recommended that the unit be operated continuously.

DO NOT have the Entrance/Exit Holes sealed for at least 1 month. Exposure to the strobe light trains squirrels to hate your home and discourages gnawing and further property damage.

I close the holes 30 days after the strobe light installation.  I try to leave a small opening for the squirrels to see inside.  Then later when they venture back to the house, a view of the strobe light is a REMINDER that this is one place they DO NOT WANT to go.

The Satisfied Customer

I have my own handyman business that includes minor roof, soffit, and fascia repair.  I also repair damage caused by squirrels.  With the use of the Evictor Products strobe lights, I offer a complete pest control service.  I evict the squirrels first, then return later and repair the damage.

My customers are glad that their squirrel problems are finally over.  One woman in particular is very grateful.  She suffered with squirrels in her attic for almost 40 years.  After installing the strobe lights two years ago, she is still squirrel free.

© Bill Earl

Vice-President

Evictor Products Inc.

637 Noble Street

Norristown, PA 19401

william@evictorproducts.com

www.evictorproducts.com

www.squirrelevictor.com