Squirrels cost homeowners £20 million in damages...

Squirrels are £20 million menace to homeowners

Squirrels have been blamed for causing more than £20 million of damage to homes in Britain, including gnawed roof beams and chewed wiring.

The animals are estimated to nest in up to 50,000 homes Photo: ALAMY

7:00AM GMT 01 Mar 2011

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Pest controllers said householders should be “extra vigilant” over the next few weeks as the country’s female squirrels are about to give birth to litters of up to six babies a time.

Most insurance companies do not cover squirrel infestations. The animals are estimated to nest in up to 50,000 homes.

Squirrels normally take up residence in loft spaces and sheds over winter and can cause serious damage to properties.

Last year, Glen and Laura Borner’s three-bedroom home in Hertfordshire burned down after squirrels chewed through electrical wiring in the loft.

Paul Bates, managing director of Cleankill Pest Control, said the damage that squirrels can cause included:

• Gnawing through roof beams and supports in lofts.
• Chewing through electrical wires, causing blackouts and house fires.
• Contaminating water tanks with their droppings.
• Causing floods after gnawing through water pipes.
• Mr Bates said: “People think that squirrels are cute and cuddly but they actually cause more problems than most.”

He said that the best way to prevent an invasion was to block any holes in the building and to ensure that trees were far enough from the house to stop squirrels leaping on to the property.

Experts also said that putting down chilli powder at possible entrances would deter squirrels because they hate the smell and taste of anything spicy.

Besides the estimated £20 million of damage to properties, the Forestry Commission said that squirrels also caused more than £10 million of damage to woodland trees each year.