Eventually, yes — closing the opening is what makes the result last. Right now, almost certainly not.
Sealing the hole is the first thing nearly everybody wants to do, and doing it at the wrong moment turns a manageable problem into an expensive one. It is worth understanding exactly why.
What happens if you seal it with an animal inside
You have not solved anything. You have removed the exit from a creature that gnaws for a living and is now motivated rather than merely habitual.
- It works much harder, and on whatever is nearest — frequently the cabling, the ceiling below or the roof timbers
- It commonly opens a second hole within a few feet of the first
- If it cannot get out, the outcome is an animal dead in a confined space above a bedroom, which is unpleasant and much more expensive to resolve
- In spring, sealing can shut a female away from dependent young, which is worse again in every sense
The materials people reach for, and why they fail
- Expanding foam. Chewed through in a single session. It is the single most common wasted repair in this whole subject
- Silicone or mastic. Same outcome, slightly slower
- Wooden batten or ply. Gnawed round or through
- Chicken wire. Too soft and the mesh is too open — it can be worked apart
- A plastic vent or cover. Removed, or simply gnawed
What does work is steel: heavy galvanised mesh of a small aperture, or metal soffit and eaves closures, mechanically fixed rather than glued, and dressed properly into the surrounding detail so there is no edge to start on. Squirrels do not defeat steel; they defeat fixings and edges.
The right order
- Establish what is present, and whether anything is inside
- Deal with the activity — the £280 work
- Confirm the roof space is clear
- Close the openings — proofing at £180
The gap between steps two and four is deliberate. It is what makes it possible to be confident the roof is empty before it is closed — which is precisely the confidence that sealing on day one does not give you.
The other reason not to do it yourself
Every one of these openings is at roof height. Working off a household ladder at the eaves or a gable verge, one-handed, with tools, is by a wide margin the most dangerous thing in this subject — considerably more so than the squirrel. Identifying the opening from the ground is the useful part; reaching it is not.
What you can safely do now
- Photograph the opening from the ground at full zoom
- Note which elevation it is on and roughly how high
- Cut back branches that overhang or reach the roof — after the work rather than before
- Keep the loft hatch closed
- Leave everything at roof level alone
Questions
What if I have already sealed it?
Say so when you call, before anything else. It changes what happens on the first visit, particularly if the noise became more frantic afterwards.
Can I block it while they are out during the day?
It is a gamble on a roof space you cannot see into, and getting it wrong is the expensive outcome above. It is also not usually one animal.
How long does proofing last?
Steel mesh, properly fixed, is a permanent repair to that opening. What changes over time is the rest of the roof, so it is worth a look every few years.
Squirrel Control Costs
Squirrel control is £280 fixed cost. Proofing work, where it is needed afterwards, is £180. Call 01502 630 122 and tell us what you have heard or seen.
To arrange squirrel control, call 01502 630 122, or read the squirrel control page.