Recently, Cowleys was contacted by a Monroe Township, NJ homeowner, calling us to come out for a possible wildlife infestation after hearing unusual noises coming from the attic. He asked us to perform an inspection to determine if there were unwanted visitors overhead. During my inspection, I found an entry point on the left side of a dormer where a section of flashing had detached from a piece of fascia board, leaving an area of the roof wide open for wildlife access. Dormers are notorious trouble-spots for wildlife, and we often find those areas of roofs with entry points made by a determined squirrel or raccoon. Here, the culprits happened to be squirrels. To resolve this infestation, I first placed a one-way device over the main entry point. This allow the animals to leave but prevent their return back inside. It is important to make sure that the animals have no other entry points to find their way inside. After the one-way is secured, I set up three baited squirrel traps nearby the one-way. When the squirrels come out to forage for food, thy often can’t believe their luck that they found something nearby. Unfortunately, for them, it’s too good to be true, and the animals are trapped. At that point, we humanely relocate the animals away from human habitats. After removing the traps an the one-way, we’ll install a trim patch to temporarily seal the entry point until a contractor or roofer can come out for a permanent fix. It is important to stay on top of roof repairs. Wildlife won’t hesitate to exploit openings in the roof to gain attic access. Trapping squirrels in Monroe Township, NJ home
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