Where Are Squirrels Getting Into the Roof of My Cambourne Home?

There is a reason this one detail accounts for so many squirrel entries, and it is worth understanding rather than just checking.

What the Detail Is

The fascia is the board on the face of the roof edge, carrying the guttering. The soffit is the board underneath it, closing the gap between the wall and the edge of the roof. Together they close the eaves — and everything about how they are built creates opportunities.

Why It Is the Weak Point

• It is the boundary between three things: the roof covering, the wall, and the boards themselves. Junctions are where gaps are
• The material is soft. Timber, or uPVC over a timber core. A squirrel gnaws through both
• It is often already ventilated, with a gap or vents by design
• Replacement work leaves gaps. New uPVC fitted over old timber frequently does not close tightly to the wall or at corners
• Corners are the weakest. Where two lengths meet at an external corner, and where a soffit runs into a wall
• It is at exactly the height a squirrel arrives, having come along a branch or up a drainpipe
• Nobody ever looks at it. It is above head height and out of mind

What to Look For

• A gnawed opening, with pale exposed timber or rough chewed plastic
• A gap at a joint between two lengths of board
• A gap where the soffit meets the wall, particularly on a replacement
• Staining or rub marks at an opening, from repeated use
• A vent with the grille missing or broken
• Insulation showing at an opening, or fallen on the ground below
• A board that is bowed, split or coming away

And the Approach Route

A squirrel has to get to the fascia line before it can work on it. Look at what reaches it: an overhanging branch, ivy or a climbing plant on the wall below, a fence meeting the building, a drainpipe with brackets, or an adjoining garage or shed roof.

Dealing with that is frequently cheaper and more effective than the proofing itself, and it is the one item on the list that does not need anybody at height.

Proofing It Properly

• Metal, not filler. Mesh or plate, fixed properly at the edges. Foam, sealant, timber patching and expanding filler are all gnawed through
• Close the whole run, not the one hole. If a squirrel found one gap at a corner, the other three corners are worth doing at the same time
• Keep the ventilation. An eaves gap is frequently there for a reason, and blocking it solidly causes condensation problems. Mesh maintains airflow and excludes the animal
• After the roof space is confirmed clear, never before

Where the boards themselves are rotten or failing, that is a roofing job rather than a proofing one, and we will say so rather than mesh over a board that needs replacing.