How to stop squirrels from moving into your house and burning it down

Many people like having squirrels around to watch them scurry around in search of nuts and seeds. They are cute, fuzzy and at times comical. But when they find a way into your home, they become noisy, destructive pests.

There is no avoiding squirrels in Maine. And according to a state wildlife expert, there is no other animal in the state that wants to destroy your home more than a squirrel.

"Those dastardly dudes can be very destructive," said Keel Kemper, biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "There is no critter more out to burn your house down than a squirrel."

Last winter his car burned up compliments of a squirrel that had made a nest in the engine compartment. The rodent chewed up wires and caused an electrical short.

"I drove into work and looked out my window and there was my car out there in flames," Keel said. "It just shows you how quickly they can cause damage [and] they are one of the most serious problems you can deal with."

A squirrel will gnaw on anything in its path, including home wiring.

It's not just wires that are vulnerable to squirrels. They will also gnaw on and damage insulation, woodwork, pipes and cloth. As they chew their way through your home they will urinate and defecate along the way creating a smelly situation and possible health risk.

Squirrels also carry diseases that they can pass on to humans. The most common are rabies, leptospirosis and salmonella.

That's why you want to ensure the rodents don't get in.

The key to keeping squirrels out of your house is exclusion and that begins with not leaving food they can get into, Keel said.

Bird food, in particular, can attract squirrels to a house.

"The best thing to do is not feed the birds at all," Keel said. "As much as birds love the feed, so do the squirrels."

The biologist knows discouraging bird feeding is a hard sell in Maine. So if people are determined to feed the birds, it's best done at a distance and with constant upkeep.

"People need to be diligent about cleaning up the spilled seeds and shells under the feeder," Kemper said. "They also should move the feeder farm from their homes and watch the birds through binoculars."

It's also important to not provide easy access into your home with trees and tree limbs that squirrels will use as overhead pathways.

"You want a moat of no limbs around your house," Kemper said. "Cut any limbs that would allow squirrels to run up the tree and on to your house."

Since squirrels can easily leap up to 12 feet, keeping them away can mean cutting entire trees down if they are close to your home.

A determined squirrel can still get on to your house, so it's important to look for and eliminate any points of entry.

"Exclusion is key and the key to exclusion is good carpentry," Kemper said. "A lot of these older Maine homes have 800 ways for squirrels to get in so people need to be extra diligent."

Like all rodents, squirrels can squeeze through an opening the size of its head. That means all most squirrels need is a one-inch opening to get into your house.

The most common entry points are holes in roofs, soffits and window sills. Caulking existing holes can discourage the squirrels from using them. If you are worried about them chewing through the caulking, you can also use wire mesh to patch up the hole.

It's very important to make sure there are no squirrels inside your home before you seal up any holes, trapping them inside.

Keel is not a fan of using anything with a strong odor to deter squirrels from moving in, though he has heard people say they have used things like peppermint oil and vinegar to keep them away.

He also has zero faith in any of the commercially available chemical squirrel deterrents or the ones that use an auditory signal that supposedly aggravates the rodents enough they will go away.

"There are tons of squirrel repellents out there and I am not aware of any that work," Kemper said.

"Homeowners need to pay close attention and remain vigilant to any squirrels," Kemper said. "It's all about eliminating food sources, prevention of access and exclusion"

Julia Bayly is a reporter at the Bangor Daily News with a regular bi-weekly column. Julia has been a freelance travel writer/photographer since 2000. More by Julia Bayly