How to Fix a Squirrel Hole in an Attic

Remove all of the squirrels from your attic before closing up all the holes. Look around the attic and look for signs of recent squirrel activity before starting. Shredded insulation, chewed electrical conduit and squirrel droppings are all signs that squirrels are present in your attic. Set up one-way doors, cage traps and repeater traps to humanely remove the squirrels from the premises. Removing all of the squirrels from the attic is the best way to start a squirrel hole repair.

Look for all possible entry holes the squirrels were using. Note their locations and measure their sizes. Note if they are located near soffits or grates as you will need to use a steel screen. Siding damage will require the replacement of all damaged siding and repair of any holes underneath.

Purchase the proper supplies at the home improvement stores. Try to match the materials to the ones that are already in place. Use steel screen that matches the surrounding screen and buy paint if the holes are on exposed wall areas for aesthetic purposes. Plywood will be good a choice for exterior wood damaged areas. Purchase matching siding, or as close as possible, for siding repairs.

Cut the materials you will use to close the hole or holes in your attic. Cut the materials a bit larger than the holes themselves to make the repair look good from the outside, as you will most likely shape the hole and cut away the material to make the repair easier to perform. Paint wood to match the exterior of walls as close to the color as possible using paint or spray paint. Cut the siding piece to match the area you will remove that has been damaged by the squirrel.

Cut away damaged siding cleanly with a rotary tool or snips and remove it with a vinyl siding removal tool to expose the hole underneath. Remove the nails holding the damaged piece and set it aside. Repair the hole securing a piece of plywood or a steel screen over it. Slide the previously cut new piece of siding into place where the old damaged piece was located, nailing it into place.

Prepare any other types of exterior holes by opening them or shaping them to accommodate the wood or screen you have cut. Clean up the ragged edges for a better fit using a chisel or flat-head screwdriver. Place the cut repair material over the hole and nail it or glue it into place using a heavy-duty epoxy. Staple, screw-in or nail steel screens in place to cover up holes in grates or soffits on the outside to cover the unsightly appearance of a hole in your home.

Check back in a few weeks for signs of damage to new repairs or signs of squirrel presence in your attic and look further for new holes or the reopening of old holes in your attic.