Attic squirrels
Best squirrel exclusion
The best squirrel control you can buy at a hardware counter is exclusion: a one-way door on the hole they use, then hardware cloth, then a chimney cap if the flue is the door. Poison for Eastern gray squirrel in a house is a bad and often illegal idea. Trapping has local rules. Seal only after you know no young are inside.
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Best exit device: One-way squirrel exclusion door. Mount it on the opening they already use. Watch for exits. Then remove it and close the hole with metal the same day. A one-way door left on for a month is not a finish.
Compare the picks
| Role | Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best exit device | One-way squirrel exclusion door | A mapped soffit hole | Hardware |
| Best permanent seal | 1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth | Vents, fascia gaps, and the hole after they leave | Hardware |
| Best if the flue is the entry | Animal-guard chimney cap | An open chimney | Hardware |
Which one to buy
Hardware
One-way squirrel exclusion door
Best exit device — Mount it on the opening they already use. Watch for exits. Then remove it and close the hole with metal the same day. A one-way door left on for a month is not a finish.
Hardware
1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth
Best permanent seal — Quarter-inch cloth, screwed or stapled so a squirrel cannot pull the edge. Foam and thin screen fail.
Hardware
Animal-guard chimney cap
Best if the flue is the entry — Cap it only when you know the flue is empty. A cap on a den with young seals them in.
Do not buy a seal for a nursery
Squirrels nest in attics and chimneys with young that cannot leave yet. A one-way door or a cap at the wrong week traps them. If you hear scrambling plus a nest and you cannot see the animals leave, stop and use a wildlife operator who will check. Flying squirrels are a different, often nocturnal, attic guest. The hardware is similar. The timing still matters.
Common questions
What is the best squirrel bait?
For exclusion, you do not need bait. Bait belongs in a legal trap, and relocation rules are local. Close the hole after the animal can leave.
Will a live trap solve attic squirrels?
Only if you then seal the entry. Catching one squirrel and leaving the fascia open invites the next. Check whether trapping is legal where you are.
Is hardware cloth better than steel wool for squirrels?
Yes. They pull loose steel wool out. Fasten cloth so the edge cannot be lifted, then seal the rim.