Silver Bullet Pest ControlScratching over the bedroom at sunrise, a chewed hole at the roof corner, or a squirrel running along the gutter and disappearing into the soffit? Silver Bullet Pest Control squirrel-proofs North Jersey homes: we find every way in, let the squirrels leave through one-way doors, and seal the openings with steel.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • Licensed by NJ Fish & Wildlife • 15+ years • Hablamos español
Text a photo of the hole or the roofline to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you if it's a squirrel entry point.
Squirrel proofing in NJ means finding every opening a squirrel can use on your roofline, letting the squirrels already inside leave through one-way doors, and then sealing every gap with steel mesh and metal they can't chew through. Done right, it solves the problem for good instead of just removing this year's squirrel. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife and serves Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Squirrels are climbers and chewers. They look for a weak edge on the roofline and widen it with their teeth.
The spot where a lower roof meets a wall, often called a roof return, has small built-in gaps that squirrels love. Soft or rotted fascia behind a gutter is the next favorite.
Vents give squirrels a ready-made opening. Thin window screen and plastic vent covers don't stop them; they chew straight through.
Squirrels also come in around plumbing vent pipes and down open chimneys, and use branches and utility lines as a bridge to the roof.
Running, rolling or scratching overhead early in the morning and late afternoon. Noise all night points more to raccoons or rodents.
A hole about the size of a tennis ball at a roof corner, soffit or vent, often with fresh chew marks.
Squirrels running the gutter line or jumping from a tree and vanishing at the same spot.
Shredded insulation, leaves or droppings in the attic, or a smell if a squirrel has died inside.
Not sure what's up there? Read attic noises: squirrels, rats or raccoons or signs of squirrels in the attic.
We check every corner, soffit, fascia board, vent, chimney and pipe, plus the attic, and mark each opening, not just the obvious hole.
Secondary gaps are sealed first. The main active hole gets a one-way door so the squirrels can leave but can't get back in.
If it's litter season we look for young before closing anything. Babies left inside will die or a desperate mother will chew a new hole.
Once activity stops, the door comes off and the opening is closed with steel mesh and metal, fastened so it can't be pulled loose.
Already have one inside the living space? See squirrel in my house or call for emergency squirrel removal.
A one-way door is a short metal tunnel fixed over the squirrels' main entry hole. The flap swings out, so a squirrel can push its way outside to feed, but it can't push back in. Within a few days the squirrels living in the attic have left on their own, without being trapped or handled.
It only works if every other opening is sealed first. Otherwise the squirrel just walks around to the next gap and comes back in. That's why the inspection matters more than the door itself.
Why not just trap them? Trapping removes the squirrel but leaves the hole, and a new squirrel will move in, sometimes within weeks, because the scent marks tell them it's a good nesting spot. Exclusion fixes the house. Full details: one-way door squirrel exclusion.
Never seal a hole while squirrels are inside. A trapped squirrel will chew through another part of the roof, or into the house, trying to get out.
Gray squirrels in New Jersey usually have two litters a year, so timing changes how we do the job.
| Time of year | What squirrels are doing | What it means for proofing |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter (Feb–Mar) | Mothers look for a warm nest; first litter is born | Check for babies before closing the main hole |
| Spring (Apr–May) | Young are still in the nest and start to move around | Plan the door so young leave with the mother once they're old enough |
| Summer (Jul–Aug) | Second litter in many nests | Same baby check as late winter |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | Squirrels store food and look for winter shelter | Busiest season for new entries; seal before cold weather |
| Winter (Dec–Jan) | Less active but don't hibernate; stay in warm attics | Good time to seal once the attic is confirmed empty |
More on timing: baby squirrel and raccoon season in NJ.
Heavy-gauge steel mesh over vents and gaps. Squirrels can't chew it the way they chew wood, plastic or screen.
Bent metal over roof returns, fascia corners and soffit edges, fastened tight so it can't be pried off.
Proper metal covers on gable vents, roof vents and chimney flues instead of plastic or window screen.
Spray foam, caulk, steel wool and plastic. Squirrels chew through them or pull them out within days.
Curious what they can get through? See what squirrels can chew through.
| DIY | Professional squirrel proofing | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding entry points | Usually the one hole you can see | The whole roofline, attic, chimney and vents |
| Squirrels inside | Risk of sealing them in | One-way door, baby check, then seal |
| Materials | Foam, screen, steel wool | Steel mesh and metal, fastened to last |
| Ladder work | Two-story rooflines are dangerous | Done with the right equipment |
| Repellents | Lights, radios and sprays give short relief | Not relied on; the house is sealed |
| Licensing | Check NJ Fish & Wildlife rules before trapping any animal | Licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife |
Want to try first? These squirrel deterrent tips help outside, but they won't get squirrels out of an attic.
Sealing the house is the main job, but squirrels often leave a mess behind. Nests of shredded insulation, droppings and urine can keep smelling and attract the next animal. We do wildlife odor control and HEPA cleanup ourselves, and when the insulation is soiled or flattened we remove and replace it.
Chewed wood is common too: soft fascia boards, soffit edges and roof sheathing near the entry. Tell us what you've found and we'll explain the repair options when we quote. More: squirrel damage to soffits and fascia and attic wildlife cleanup.
Raccoons using the same roof? We proof for both. See raccoon proofing.
We handle squirrel and raccoon exclusion, damage repair, attic cleanup and dead animal removal across Bergen, Passaic and Hudson County. Local pages:
Tell us what you're hearing and where, and send a photo of the roofline or hole if you can. We'll explain the plan and give you a free quote.
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Squirrel proofing is priced after an inspection because the cost depends on how many openings the roofline has, how high and steep the roof is, and how much steel and metal work is needed. A ranch with one hole is a much smaller job than a two-story home with several vents and roof returns. We give a free quote; see our squirrel removal cost page for the factors.
Most squirrel exclusion jobs take a few days to about a week. The inspection and sealing of secondary gaps happens on the first visit, the one-way door stays on until the squirrels have left, and then we return to remove the door and seal the main hole. Baby season can stretch the timeline because young must leave with the mother.
Yes. One-way doors let squirrels leave on their own to find food, and they simply can't get back in. Nobody traps or handles them. During litter season we check for babies before sealing anything, because sealing in young squirrels is cruel and leads to a mother chewing a new hole to reach them.
They'll try, because squirrels remember good nesting spots, but they can't get in through steel mesh and metal that's fastened properly. Problems come back when only one hole was fixed or soft materials like foam were used. That's why we check the whole roofline, chimney and vents, not just the hole you can see.
Gray squirrels in New Jersey usually have a first litter in late winter and a second in summer. Young stay in the nest for several weeks before they move around on their own. If you hear high-pitched squeaking in the attic or see a mother coming and going often, tell us so we can plan around the babies.
No. Squirrels chew through spray foam and caulk quickly, and steel wool rusts and gets pulled out. Worse, blocking a hole while a squirrel is inside can trap it, and it will chew a new hole, sometimes into the house. Use steel mesh and metal, and only after the attic is confirmed empty.
Not for long. Lights, radios, predator urine and ultrasonic devices may bother squirrels for a few days, but a squirrel with a warm nest or babies will put up with them. Repellents don't close the opening, so the next squirrel moves right in. Sealing the house is the only lasting fix.
Yes. We do wildlife odor control and HEPA cleanup ourselves, and we remove and replace attic insulation when squirrels have soiled or flattened it. Cleaning up the nest and scent also makes the attic less attractive to the next animal. We'll tell you if cleanup is needed after we inspect.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for wildlife work and holds NJ pesticide License 90568B, with over 15 years of experience. We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties, plus many towns in Morris and Union counties.
Timing and sound tell you a lot. Squirrels are active at dawn and dusk and sound like running and rolling. Rats and mice scratch and scurry mostly at night. Squirrel droppings are larger and rounder than rodent droppings. Text a photo of the droppings or the hole and we'll tell you.
Sí. Hablamos español. Si tiene ardillas en el ático, llame o mande un texto con una foto del techo al 973-510-2585. La cotización es gratis.
Based in Garfield, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
