Silver Bullet Pest ControlStraight 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.
Featured on Telemundo 47 • EPA Pesticide Safety Certified • 4.9 Stars on Google • NJ License 90568B
Text a photo of what you're seeing and we'll tell you what it is and what to do.
Home remedies like bright lights, a radio in the attic, ammonia rags or pepper spray can make an attic less comfortable for a few days, and they sometimes push an animal to leave on its own. They don't stop it from coming back, and some, like mothballs and DIY trapping, cause new problems. The lasting fix is a one-way exit and sealing the roofline. Call 973-510-2585 for help.
| Remedy | Does it help? | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Bright light in the attic | A little, short term | Animals get used to it; doesn't stop re-entry |
| Radio on talk station | A little, short term | Same; mothers with babies stay |
| Ammonia-soaked rags | Briefly | Fumes bother people too; fades fast |
| Hot pepper / capsaicin | Outdoors, briefly | Washes off; not for attics |
| Mothballs | No | Not labeled for wildlife; fumes in the house |
| Live trap and release | Not recommended | Legal rules in NJ; babies left behind; bites |
| Sealing the hole | Only after the animal is out | Sealing an animal in causes bigger damage |
If you've just noticed one squirrel and it's not baby season, making the attic bright and noisy for two or three days can sometimes convince it to leave. Watch the hole: if you see the squirrel leave and no activity for a couple of days, that's the moment to close the hole with heavy mesh. But if you hear chirping or the noise continues, there are babies or a committed resident, and it's time to call.
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
We get squirrels out with one-way doors and seal the roofline so they can't chew back in. Exclusion, not relocation.
Raccoons tear their way in and do real damage. We remove them from the house and close the opening with heavy-duty materials.
Ground animals cause foundation and yard problems. We find where they live and block access so they move on.
Mothballs contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, pesticides labeled for clothes moths in closed containers, not wildlife in attics. The vapors drift into the living space.
Poison is a terrible idea for squirrels: the animal dies in a wall or ceiling and the smell lasts for weeks.
DIY trapping puts you face to face with a frightened animal. Raccoons bite and can carry rabies. New Jersey has rules on trapping and releasing wildlife, and a mother trapped and removed leaves babies behind.
Sealing too early traps the animal, which then chews a new hole, sometimes into a bedroom or closet.
We find every opening, install a one-way door on the active hole so the animal can leave but not return, and seal the rest of the roofline with heavy-duty materials. Once the animals are out, we close the last hole. If there are babies, we plan around them. It's called exclusion and it's how we handle squirrels and raccoons. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Keep tree limbs about 6 to 8 feet from the roof so squirrels can't jump on.
Use cans with tight lids and bungee cords. Raccoons learn trash night fast.
A sturdy chimney cap keeps out raccoons, squirrels and birds.
Look for chewed soffit corners, loose vents and gaps at roof returns each spring and fall.
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
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.
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Bright light and noise for a few days can push a single squirrel out, but you still need to seal the hole once it's gone.
Briefly. The smell fades fast, and the fumes bother people too.
No. They aren't labeled for wildlife and the fumes can drift into your home.
New Jersey has rules on trapping and releasing wildlife. A licensed company handles it legally; we use exclusion instead.
No. They die inside walls and ceilings and cause a long-lasting odor.
No activity for a couple of days and no chirping. A one-way door makes it certain.
Don't seal or trap. Call so the family can be removed together.
They chew wiring, tear insulation and leave droppings and urine. Raccoons can carry rabies and roundworm, so their droppings need careful cleanup.
Yes. Squirrels gnaw constantly, and chewed wiring in an attic is a real fire risk, which is one reason to act quickly.
Yes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
