Had the same issue a while back—those little guys are crafty. Pest-proofing products can be hit or miss, but honestly, hardware cloth saved me. Picked some up cheap at the hardware store, cut it to size, and stapled it securely over soffit openings and vents. Not the prettiest fix, but it worked wonders. Been squirrel-free going on three years now... knock on wood. Might be worth a shot if you're still having trouble.
"Not the prettiest fix, but it worked wonders."
Yeah, hardware cloth is solid advice. One extra tip—when you're stapling it down, make sure you overlap the edges by at least an inch or two, otherwise those sneaky squirrels can still squeeze through tiny gaps. Learned that one the hard way on a job last summer... had to redo half the vents. But once it's done right, you're golden. Good luck with the squirrel eviction!
"make sure you overlap the edges by at least an inch or two, otherwise those sneaky squirrels can still squeeze through tiny gaps."
That's a good point—I hadn't even considered squirrels squeezing through such small openings. I've been researching this lately (first-time homeowner here, still learning the ropes), and apparently rodents can fit through gaps as small as half an inch. Crazy, right? Makes me wonder if hardware cloth alone is enough, or if adding some caulking or sealant around the edges might help too...
When I first moved into my house, I thought hardware cloth alone would be enough too. But after a year or so, I started hearing scratching noises in the attic—turns out squirrels had found a tiny gap near the chimney flashing. It was barely noticeable, maybe half an inch wide at most. I sealed it up with some metal flashing and added a bead of silicone caulk around the edges just to be safe. Haven't heard any scratching since.
Honestly, hardware cloth is great for larger gaps or vents, but rodents (especially squirrels and mice) are incredibly persistent and flexible. You might want to consider combining it with something like metal flashing or even copper mesh in tighter spots. Caulking alone probably won't hold up long-term, especially if they start chewing or clawing at it. Learned that the hard way...
"Honestly, hardware cloth is great for larger gaps or vents, but rodents (especially squirrels and mice) are incredibly persistent and flexible."
Yep, learned that lesson myself after a nasty storm peeled back some shingles and left me with an unexpected squirrel Airbnb in my attic. Hardware cloth slowed them down about as much as a "Keep Out" sign would. Ended up using metal flashing and copper mesh for backup—haven't heard any freeloaders since. Your roof's probably whispering "upgrade me," or at least "double-check those corners"...
