Squirrel and Wildlife Exclusion in Media and Delaware County, PA

Which Animals Can Be Kept Out, and Which Need a Wildlife Specialist?

Squirrels and chipmunks are the animals homeowners most often find in attics, soffits and around foundations here, and exclusion is the standard approach for them. Pest birds such as starlings and house sparrows nesting in vents can often be handled with vent covers once nests are cleared, though most native birds are federally protected and need a different approach.

Chipmunks are mostly a ground-level problem on wooded lots here. They tunnel under patios, stoops and retaining walls, and now and then one finds its way into a basement through a window well or a gap beside a bulkhead door.

Raccoons, bats, groundhogs, skunks, opossums and other wildlife are a different matter. In Pennsylvania, these animals may require a wildlife control operator permitted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and bats in particular come with timing restrictions. Tell us what you are hearing or seeing, and we will say on the call what we can handle and when you need a permitted specialist instead.

Signs of Squirrels in the Attic

Squirrels keep daytime hours, so the giveaway is running, rolling or scratching overhead in the early morning and late afternoon, not in the middle of the night like mice. Outside, look for a chewed, rounded hole at a roof corner, fascia board or gable vent, often with fresh wood showing and gnaw marks on the edges.

Inside the attic you may find leaf and insulation nests, flattened insulation trails, droppings larger than a mouse's, and chewed wiring insulation, which is the most serious risk. Gray squirrels raise young in late winter to early spring and again in summer, so new noise in those months often means a litter.

How Do Squirrels Get Into an Attic?

Squirrels climb trees, gutters, downspouts and brick with ease and jump several feet from an overhanging branch. Their favorite entry points are corners where two rooflines meet, rotted or loose fascia and soffit boards, gaps around roof and plumbing vents, unscreened gable vents and chimney tops without caps.

Houses bordering Ridley Creek State Park, Rose Tree Park and the Crum Woods see the most squirrel pressure, because mature oaks and tulip poplars put branches right over the roof. Trimming limbs back from the roofline is one of the simplest ways to cut down on attempts.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Rules and Other Wildlife Law

Wild animals in Pennsylvania fall under the Pennsylvania Game Commission rather than the Department of Agriculture. The Commission issues the permits that let nuisance wildlife control operators trap and handle animals such as raccoons, skunks and groundhogs, and it sets the conditions for that work. Gray squirrels are a game species here, so one-way exclusion that lets them leave on their own is the simplest path. Bats are protected and should not be excluded while flightless young are in the roost.

Birds add a federal layer: most native species and their active nests are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, while European starlings, house sparrows and feral pigeons are not. If bait or another pesticide becomes part of the job, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's rules under the Pesticide Control Act of 1973 apply. This is general information, not legal advice.

Wildlife Exclusion Options for Pennsylvania Homes

The method depends on the animal, the opening and whether young are present.

How Squirrel Exclusion Works, Step by Step

1. 1

   Identify the animal

   Noise timing, droppings and entry holes confirm whether it is squirrels or wildlife that needs a permitted operator.

2. 2

   Roofline inspection

   Every opening is noted from the ground and, where safe, from a ladder.

3. 3

   Written quote

   The scope lists the main entry, secondary gaps and repair materials.

4. 4

   Check for young

   During breeding season, the attic is checked for a litter so young are not sealed inside.

5. 5

   One-way exit

   An exclusion door goes over the main hole; secondary gaps are closed with metal.

6. 6

   Final seal

   After several quiet days, the door comes off and the opening is permanently repaired.

What Affects the Cost of Wildlife Exclusion?

Roof height drives much of the effort on a squirrel job. A one-story ranch in Aston or Village Green can often be reached from a short ladder, while a tall pre-war house in Swarthmore or a Victorian in Wayne with steep gables needs more setup and more time at each opening.

The condition of the wood matters too. Squirrels go for soft, rotted fascia, so a hole may sit in a run of trim that needs more than a patch, and breeding season can add a waiting period before the final seal. The written quote lists each opening and the material planned for it.

• Which animal is involved, and whether a permitted wildlife operator is needed.
• Number of entry holes and how much fascia or soffit is damaged.
• Roof height and pitch, which affect ladder access and safety.
• Whether young are present and timing has to wait.
• Chimney caps, vent covers and other materials required.
• Attic cleanup of nests, droppings or soiled insulation afterward.

After the Animals Are Out: Sealing and Monitoring

Once the opening is repaired, listen for a week or two. Silence in the morning and late afternoon means the job worked; new scratching usually means a second hole or a squirrel that chewed in elsewhere. Gnaw marks on fresh repairs should be reported right away.

Squirrels leave nests and droppings behind, and mice often follow the same openings, so attics may need attention after exclusion. Our rodent cleanup and sanitation page explains how that is handled. If the noises are smaller and come at night, read about mouse control; heavier thumping low in the house or burrows in the yard point toward rat control instead.