Squirrel Guard, Stops Squirrel Entry
I have lived in New England for decades, and the one thing we can count on day or night, winter or summer, is that squirrels are everywhere. Thank goodness squirrels are not dangerous and they really are not that much of a pest nuisance either. I see squirrels all over my yard every day, but I am not sure I have ever complained about stepping in squirrel crap: which is more than I can say for Geese. Go to any pond or park, and the pigeons and geese make an absolute mess. With Geese, you really have to watch where you step because the ground gets covered. Our little squirrel friends are kind of cute and fairly harmless too. My cat does not like the squirrels, but I do not think they ever did anything to her. They just run around the yard collecting, burying, and then again digging up the nuts. If anyone has a problem with squirrels, it would be my wife, because they bury nuts in her flower pots and then dig them up later making a mess. We found a good solution by placing used coffee grinds in the soil, this seemed to help keep the squirrels from returning to the scene of the crime and wreaking havoc on the impatiens and petunias.
I really believe that squirrels are very nice members of our community. It could be much worse if they were stealing things and crapping everywhere. I really do not know why they get such a bad reputation, but I do know why we would want to keep them out of our homes. Even the sweetest of little creatures such as baby bunnies, are very adorable and not too much trouble, but we certainly do not need them entering our homes.
Squirrel Guard
Squirrels can chew a hole through the wood trim fascia above the gutter, and enter the attic. Once they enter the attic, they have free reign of much of the home. Squirrels will bring leaves and create a nest and live in the attic. The problem usually starts with pieces of rotted wood trim, which becomes soft and easy to chew; however squirrels will also attempt to chew through metal and plastic items like metal flashing and plastic trash cover lids. If you have a risk of squirrels entering your home, you will need to get some sort of squirrel guard. People who love animals often will consider a squirrel trap, and once the squirrel has been trapped, they have to set it free far away in order to keep the squirrel from returning. They will also need to get a squirrel guard in order to keep other squirrels from causing the same problem if there is a hole in the fascia. A carpenter may be able to perform wood trim repairs to guard the squirrel or a different squirrel from entering that hole, but part of the problem is that squirrels are so mobile they can find or create another squirrel entry hole. If you can keep the squirrels from roaming your gutters, you have a much better chance of avoiding squirrel damage as well as squirrel entry. A good gutter guard for squirrels, will keep the squirrels from running up and down the gutters looking for and entry point.
Squirrel Vantage Point
Home improvement experts will tell you to keep the trees cut very far back from your home and roof. This advice is usually to keep bugs from damaging your home, but it is also important to keep squirrels off of your roof and out of your gutter. Squirrels seem like they have a fantastic fun time running all over the roof; they typically do not do alot of roof damage, however in New England it is common to see that squirrels have chewed and caused expensive damage to the chimney lead flashing. Chimney lead flashing is soft and malleable: in my 25 years in construction I never truly determined if they chew the lead because they enjoy the taste and the softness: or rather if the squirrel is attempting to chew through to the other side in order to enter the home and set up shop. One major issue, is that squirrels are so mobile, if you give them a chance, they will run around everywhere on your roof and eventually find access to the interior.
Squirrels Can Climb The Building
Squirrels are more than capable of climbing up the side of your house in order to access the roof, however this is rare because they have no interest or reason to climb the side of your home. Simply cutting back the trees 15 feet away from the home, should be more than enough to deter squirrels from accessing your roof and gutters. They may be able to climb the side wall of the home, but in most cases they will not do that because they enjoy climbing trees and gaining access from the trees. If they can climb the tree and jump to your roof from the tree, they are very likely to do so and then from the roof they will access the gutter. Once squirrels are in your gutter, they run the gutter and have access to all of the fascia; which is the easiest way for them to access the attic. When they are on the roof, there is little way for them to access the attic unless they chew through the chimney flashing, after 25 years of roofing I have never seen a squirrel chew through a common roof shingle: Racoons yes, but not squirrels.
Keep Squirrels Out of the Gutter
Unfortunately, once a squirrel is on your roof, he or she has access to the gutter. If you can keep the squirrel out of the gutter, then the squirrel can not happily frolic along and find entrance to the attic through the fascia, crown molding or roof drip edge. Keeping squirrels out of the gutter is important. Click here, to see a very easy method for keeping squirrels out of the gutter a squirrel guard.
Squirrel Gutter Guard
Keeping the squirrels out of the gutter is a very smart idea. Standard gutter covers and gutter helmets and screens do not solve the problem because the squirrel enjoys running along on top of the smooth metal gutter cover and the gutter screen. These other types of standard gutter guards are tricky to install, requiring fastening and trimming, but the squirrel will not be deterred by these items that simply act as a nice clean squirrel sidewalk. You will need a squirrel gutter guard in order to keep the squirrel from easily walking along the gutter and finding access to the attic; simply fill the entire gutter with one of the sizes of GutterBrush gutter guard. Click here to see all sizes of this squirrel gutter guard.
Easy Squirrel Guard
GutterBrush is a very easy way to keep squirrels out of your home, rental property or commercial building. Gutterbrush works well as a squirrel gutter guard, but it can also be used in many other areas of the home as a “pressure fit” solution. With 5 different diameters of GutterBrush, people use it in lots of different areas such as pressure fit to keep birds from nesting behind the shutters, pressure fit in between rafters to keep birds and pigeons out, and pressure fit under decks to keep bats out. The beauty of using Gutterbrush to keep squirrels out of gutters, is the fact that no tools or fastening is required. Simply slide the squirrel gutter guard brush, GutterBrush, into the gutter sliding it under the gutter crossbar horizontal hangers. No fastening is required, just fill the entire gutter with 3 foot sections of GutterBrush. Just lay GutterBrush right over the downspout. Gutterbrush keeps the squirrels out of the gutter, and the rain water flows between the bristles; no gutter guard fastening required. The squirrels no longer want to enter and traverse the gutter, because they do not like the spiny bristle texture. Squirrels can no longer run along inside the gutter while it is filled with Gutterbrush, because they can not walk or run on the bristle brushes. With Gutterbrush filling and protecting the entire gutter, squirrels will stay out of the gutter and even if you do have a problematic access hole in the fascia or molding where the squirrel can access the attic, it becomes highly unlikely that they would ever locate that access hole.
Squirrel Deterrent and Gutter Clogging Avoidance.
If squirrels are a problem in your gutter and on your roof, it is highly likely that you have leaves and trees near your home; which is their typical method of access in the first place. When you use GutterBrush as a simple squirrel gutter guard, not only will you receive a simple squirrel guard, but you will also be receiving a great way to keep your gutters from clogging with gutter leaves and debris, so you will be "killing two birds with one stone". Call the folks at Gutterbrush if you have questions. You can reach them at 888-397-9433 or info@gutterbrush.com. They have an experienced technical service staff that can answer all of your gutter questions and help you determine the right size brush gutter guard to protect your gutter. Click here to learn how to measure for Gutterbrush. They have been selling GutterBrush and solving clogged gutters for over 19 years, and they are standing by during normal business hours Eastern Standard time to receive your phone call and provide information. Call to ask about your squirrel gutter guard today.