squirrels in soffit.

[Robb]

My mother believes she has squirrels in the soffit of her house. I've never heard them but she does not have bats in her belfry... so I'm giving her the benifit of the doubt. This has happened 3 times now I believe.
She lives in a nice, 11 year old ranch, it's practically new. I painted the house last year, no holes that I came across. Eve's are in great shape, most of the house is brick, the roof is in great shape. The house is not dilapidated or anything even close. I have never heard the commotion in the soffits but can anyone give me an idea of what to look for on where a critter may be getting in? Frankly I'm at a loss. I've looked everywhere. I'll be up on a ladder this weekend trying to find some access point again, under the shingles maybe?

[Irving]

Does she live around us? Animals will eat right through the shingles/siding. If she has gable vents, look there as well.

[Robb]

I'll check above the eves and under the shingles tonight. There is one vent on the back, not sure if I can adjust the louvers or not. I can put some wire inside and outside over it but it appears they're in good shape, no holes chewed. Can a squirrel climb straight up or down the siding on the back of the house to access the vent??? I suppose a small enough one could get in. Her house is in Westminster.

[Irving]

I'm no expert or anything, but I've recently seen squirrel/mouse damage on some houses. We could take a look. Check out these pictures of what squirrels can do.

51003

[9mmJ]

She might just be hearing them running across the roof of the house. It can be pretty loud.

[ray1970]

We had a raccoon on the roof one night. You'd have sworn we had a small bear in the attic.

[Robb]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a critter On the roof instead of in it. But she's all shook up over it so I need to check.

[Irving]

Make sure to tell her to not feed the squirrels while you're there. Generally, you won't be able to miss the evidence if it is there, especially if they made a hole big enough to gain entry like in the photo I posted.

[Great-Kazoo]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a critter On the roof instead of in it. But she's all shook up over it so I need to check.

Look in real tight spaces between the eaves and peak of roof. That's where bats will force their way in. With winter upon us they might be the culprit. Even birds.

[SideShow Bob]

Better squirrels in the soffit, than bats in the belfry....................

[lex137]

I had a squirrel stuck in the down spout. By the time I found it, it was half eaten by maggots. It must have been to big cause it was stuck, may have drowned or starved since it happened during the week it rained.

[Irving]

I found a gopher in a down spout. He wouldn't back out because I was there. I convinced him by dropping a rock on his face from the gutter. :)

[lex137]

^^^ That is some funny shit right there!

[68Charger]

I read the thread, and could only think "Toys, Toys, Toys in the attic"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9NAerwlYWw

[fitz19d]

Careful, they can be dangerous. http://i.imgur.com/FS7Wq45.jpg

[Stevensje]

Careful, they can be dangerous. http://i.imgur.com/FS7Wq45.jpg

Man.... Is anyone thinking pneumonic plague..

[Robb]

Got on the ladder and went around the whole house lifting up shingles. Interesting thing on her house is the sheeting below the shingles/tarpaper doesn't extend to the outside edge of the sofit. Is it supposed to? If I lift up the outside edge of the shingles and tarpaper I can see in the sofit all the way around the house. Everything looked good except one one corner, the tar paper had been chewed away underneith the shingle on the corner of the house. I filled it best I could with expandable foam and tacked down the shingle. That was the only place that looked like it was an entrance point.

Funny about the plywood sheeting below the tarpaper not extending though. Is that how it's supposed to be done?

[Irving]

There is often a gap at the very edge.