Not yet. The opening does get closed, and it is closed last.
The reason is worth setting out properly rather than asserting, because the instinct to block the hole is strong and the consequences of acting on it are specific.
What happens, in order
- The animal finds its route closed. A squirrel returning to a known site does not accept this and go elsewhere; it works on the obstruction
- Whatever was used to seal it fails. Foam, filler, timber and netting are all worked through, usually within a day
- If the seal holds, a new opening is made. Typically within a few feet of the first, in whatever the next weakest material is
- If the animal is inside and cannot get out, it works inwards. This is the outcome that matters
What working inwards means
A shut-in squirrel gnaws considerably harder than one that is coming and going freely, and it works on whatever is nearest to where it is trying to get out. In a roof space that is the eaves timber, the cabling clipped along the joists, the plastic pipework, and in some cases the ceiling itself.
- Cable damage escalates, which is the genuinely dangerous outcome
- Timber at the eaves takes heavy, concentrated work
- Pipework and tank lagging get attacked in the same way
- Ceilings occasionally give way, most often around a downlighter or a hatch
And the worst case. An animal that cannot get out dies in a confined, inaccessible space above a bedroom. Locating and removing it means opening up part of the roof or a ceiling, and the smell lasts weeks. It is a far more expensive problem than the one that was being solved.
Why you cannot simply wait until it is out
Two reasons. There is rarely one animal — autumn activity in particular often involves more than one, and a roof space is large enough that they are not all out at the same time. And there is no way to be confident from below that a roof space is empty. The part of a loft visible from the hatch is a small fraction of it.
The point of dealing with the activity first is precisely to reach a position where the space is known to be clear. That knowledge is the thing being bought, and it is what makes closing the opening safe.
What to do instead, today
- Note the times the noise happens, for two or three days
- Photograph the opening from the ground at full zoom
- Note which elevation it is on and roughly how high
- Keep the loft hatch closed
- Leave everything at roof level entirely alone
Then call 01502 630 122. Control at £280, proofing afterwards at £180, in that order.
Questions
What if I have already sealed it?
Say so first thing when you call, particularly if the noise became more urgent afterwards. It changes what happens on the first visit.
How long until it is safe to close?
Once the roof space is confirmed clear, which is what the gap between the two visits is for.
Can they get out through anything else?
Sometimes, which is why a sealed entry often produces a new hole a few feet away rather than a trapped animal. Neither is a good outcome.
Squirrel Control Ely
Squirrel control in Ely 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.
For squirrel control in Ely, call 01502 630 122, or read the Ely squirrel control page.