Photo Album: Squirrel in Roosevelt, NJ Home
Easy squirrel access in Roosevelt, New Jersey
While inspecting this home's exterior, I noticed that a section of the peak of the roof had a deformity . After a closer look, I noticed that a section of the roof tiles had been replaced, but the foam used for the ridge vent was not! As a result, the barrier between the outside and the attic's interior was a thin layer of roofing tile and the plywood roof itself. Squirrels are masters at finding the path of least resistance or the weakest link (or whatever else you want to call it) in order to weasel their way inside your attic. For a squirrel's razor-sharp teeth and claws, it was quite easy for them to gain attic access in this home where the ridge vent was not installed properly. They made light work of the tile, going through it like butter, and when they got to the plywood roof underneath it, because there was no protective foam, the wood was soft and water-damaged. This is the type of situation where homeowners are asking for trouble. It is highly unusual for squirrels or other wildlife to try to bore their way through healthy, sturdy building materials. Wildlife intrusion problems are often an unwanted byproduct of some needed home repair.
One-way trap for squirrels in Roosevelt, NJ
I placed an exclusion over the hole. A wildlife exclusion allows any animals to leave, but it's a one-way trip - they can't regain access to the home.
Amazing Squirrel trap set up in Roosevelt
I also placed three traps right next to the exclusion where I hope to trap and remove the critters from the area, so they do not try to reenter once everything is sealed up. When we are done and the wildlife has been removed, I'll patch off the access with a piece of aluminum trim coil to prevent any further wildlife intrusions. However, this is only a stop-gap measure to stop wildlife. It will not protect the roof from the outdoor elements. I informed the homeowner that he will need to have this roof repaired properly in order to permanently avoid future damages from wildlife or weather. I'm confident that if this roof had been fixed properly the first time around, then this home owner would not have had to pay for trapping the wildlife or for fixing the roof a second time. Hopefully, this time around, the roof repair will be done right.