Silver Bullet Pest ControlSquirrel or Raccoon Chewed Through the Ceiling or Drywall
Straight answers from Silver Bullet Pest Control, a licensed exterminator based in Garfield, NJ, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585. Hablamos español.
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Quick answer: contain it, give it a way out, then fix the cause
If a squirrel or raccoon chewed through the ceiling or drywall into your home, close the doors to that room, keep kids and pets out, and if the animal is in the room, open a window or outside door in that room so it can leave. Don't try to catch it. Then call Silver Bullet Pest Control at 973-510-2585. This usually happens because the animal's way out was blocked, often after a roofer or handyman sealed the outside hole. The inside hole is the symptom; the outside entry and any animals still in the attic have to be handled too.
What to do right now
- Close interior doors so the animal stays in one room. Put a towel under the door.
- Get kids and pets out of that area.
- Give it a way out: if it's safe, open a window or outside door in that room and leave.
- Don't corner it or try to grab it. Squirrels bite and scratch when trapped; raccoons can carry rabies.
- Cover the hole loosely only if the animal is already out of the house and you're sure nothing is still above it. Otherwise leave it.
- Call 973-510-2585. We answer 24/7.
Why animals chew into the house
Squirrels and raccoons don't want to be in your living room. They come through the ceiling or wall when the way they normally go in and out is blocked, or when they're lost inside a wall. The most common reasons we see:
- The outside hole was sealed with the animal inside (see roofer sealed the squirrel in the attic)
- A mother is trying to reach young after her opening was closed
- A squirrel fell down inside a wall cavity and can't climb back up (see squirrel stuck in the wall)
- The animal followed a gap around a pipe, duct, chimney chase or recessed light
What we see on these jobs
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
Squirrels in the Attic or Walls
- Running and scratching in the morning and evening
- Chewed fascia, soffits or vents
- Nesting material in the attic
We get squirrels out with one-way doors and seal the roofline so they can't chew back in. Exclusion, not relocation.
Raccoons in the Attic or Chimney
- Heavy thumping at night
- Torn vents, shingles or soffits
- Droppings and a strong smell
Raccoons tear their way in and do real damage. We remove them from the house and close the opening with heavy-duty materials.
Chipmunks, Skunks & Other Wildlife
- Burrows along walkways and foundations
- Animals under porches and sheds
- Digging in the yard and garden
Ground animals cause foundation and yard problems. We find where they live and block access so they move on.
Where they usually break through
| Spot | What you notice |
|---|---|
| Around a ceiling light or fan | Insulation or dust falling from the fixture, scratching above it |
| Attic hatch or pull-down stairs | The hatch pushed up or chewed edges |
| Closet ceilings | Damage found days later because nobody was in there |
| Bathroom exhaust fan | Noises in the fan housing, insulation in the tub |
| Knee walls in Cape Cods | Chewing behind a low upstairs wall, often next to a bedroom |
| Basement or first-floor wall | A squirrel that fell down inside the wall chewing out at the bottom |
Fixing it in the right order
| Step | What happens | Why the order matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inspect | Find every opening, which ones are active, and check for babies | Sealing an active hole with animals inside is what causes the trouble |
| 2. One-way door | A one-way door goes over the active opening; other gaps are sealed | Animals leave on their own to feed and can't get back in |
| 3. Confirm it's empty | We check that no more animals are coming and going | One animal left behind will chew a new hole |
| 4. Seal and repair | The door comes off and the opening is closed with chew-proof material | Now the roof repair is done on an empty attic |
| 5. Clean up | Damaged insulation and droppings are dealt with | Removes the smell and nesting material that draws the next animal |
Patching the drywall first, before the outside is handled, just gives the next animal the same reason to chew through again.
Who repairs the ceiling?
We get the animals out, seal the outside entry with chew-proof materials, and handle wildlife damage repair on the roofline. If the attic insulation is soiled, see attic insulation replacement. Once the attic is confirmed empty, the inside drywall hole is a normal patch job. We'll tell you when it's safe to close it.
Simple ways to prevent it
Trim branches
Keep tree limbs about 6 to 8 feet from the roof so squirrels can't jump on.
Lock the trash
Use cans with tight lids and bungee cords. Raccoons learn trash night fast.
Cap the chimney
A sturdy chimney cap keeps out raccoons, squirrels and birds.
Check the roofline
Look for chewed soffit corners, loose vents and gaps at roof returns each spring and fall.
How Silver Bullet handles it
Call or text a photo
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
Inspection
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
Treatment or removal
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
Seal and prevent
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
Related services
Get Help From a Licensed Exterminator
Call or text 973-510-2585 for the fastest answer, or tell us what's going on and we'll get back to you quickly.
Calls we get every week
- Scratching or thumping in the attic
- A squirrel or raccoon inside the house
- A raccoon in the chimney
- Chewed soffits, vents or gutters
- Animals under a porch, deck or shed
Request Service
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can squirrels chew through drywall?
Yes. Drywall is soft, and a trapped squirrel can chew through a ceiling or wall in a short time.
Can raccoons come through a ceiling?
Yes. Raccoons can push and tear through ceiling drywall, especially around light fixtures and attic hatches.
Why did the animal chew into my house?
Usually because its way out was sealed, a mother is trying to reach her young, or it fell inside a wall and couldn't climb back up.
Should I patch the hole in the ceiling?
Not until the attic is confirmed empty and the outside entry is sealed. Otherwise the animal, or the next one, can chew through again.
Is it dangerous to have a squirrel loose in the house?
Squirrels bite and scratch when cornered. Keep people and pets away and give it a way out.
What if the animal is still in the room?
Close the doors, open a window or outside door in that room if it's safe, leave and call 973-510-2585.
Do you handle the roof side too?
Yes. We seal the outside entry with chew-proof materials and repair damaged fascia, soffits and vents.
Are you licensed for wildlife?
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Serving North Jersey
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Westfield
Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B