Noises in Your Attic? FAQs About Household Pests

What is that sound in your attic? Maybe it's a scratching noise, a chirp, or a steady squeak—or it could sound like tiny feet are running back and forth across the rafters.

Attics are often the forgotten spaces in the home. These spaces are rarely visited, unless for storage or maintenance purposes. This can make it easy for pests to turn your attic into their home for nesting, shelter, and protection. Take a look at what you need to know about strange noises in the attic and pest problems.

What Is In Your Attic?

There are a wide variety of noises that homeowners may hear coming from the attic. While creaks and cracks usually have little to do with pest problems, squeaks, chirps, gnawing, scratching, flapping (of wings), and the pitter-pat of tiny feet, are all sounds that point to an unwelcome intruder.

The specific sound you hear may not give you enough clues to pinpoint which animal is in your attic. But the common culprits include squirrels, raccoons, mice, and birds. The only way to know which critter is in your attic is to inspect the area. While seeing the squirrel or finding a bird's nest are obvious signs, you shouldn't tackle this task alone.

Even though squirrels seem sweet and wild mice are cute and fuzzy, these pests often carry diseases. Never attempt to enter the attic area and inspect the space yourself. Instead, leave this job to a pest control professional.

Why Do Critters Choose Attics?

Again, attics are often rarely or never used spaces in the home. This means the area is left wide open for a critter to make the top of your home theirs. Squirrels, birds, mice, or other rodents won't need to worry about the constant human intrusion in most attic areas.

Small creatures and critters may choose to nest in an unused attic to take shelter from the elements. Your attic provides a safe haven from harsh weather conditions. Not only does this include shelter from the rain, sleet, snow, wind, and cold, an attic provides a shaded, cool place to sleep during extreme cold temperatures. If the attic is well-insulated or has a working HVAC system component, the temperature inside could make the space attractive to animals seeking a break from the elements outdoors.

Along with shelter from the weather/elements, attics often offer an array of nest-building materials. These include insulation, old clothing, and cardboard boxes that squirrels, rodents, and birds can easily repurpose. This eliminates the need for these critters to search and forage for materials in nature.

As if there already weren't enough reasons for critters to nest in your attic, these spaces are often close to food sources such as gardens and bird feeders. This makes it convenient for animals like squirrels and birds to establish a nearby nesting site.

How Do Pests Get Into An Attic?

The answer to how pests get into an attic depends on the particular pest. It's unlikely that any of them will walk, crawl, or fly in through the front door. Instead, these pests often get into the attic completely undetected.

The most common ways that these pests get into your attic include:

• Squirrels. These pests are agile climbers and can easily enter attics through small openings and vents. They may climb up a tree and jump onto your roof or climb up a drain pipe, a lattice, or the siding on your home.
• Rodents. Mice and rats are known for their ability to squeeze through tiny openings. These pests may work their way through the walls of your home and into the attic space.
• Birds. Birds like pigeons, sparrows, and starlings can fly into open attic windows, through exposed holes in the roof, or get in between vent slats.

Not only can a pest control professional help you identify the critters making noises in your attic, but they can also find and eliminate entry points and relocate the pests to a safer, outdoor space.

Do you have pests in your attic? Contact Patriot Pest Management, Inc., your expert pest control professionals, for more information.