If you're hearing scratching in the attic or walls, especially in the morning and late afternoon, squirrels are the most likely culprit in Hagerstown. Grey squirrels are active year-round and particularly aggressive about finding attic entry in the fall and winter. Once they're in, the chewing starts — on structural wood, electrical wiring, and insulation.
Grey squirrels dominate Hagerstown's older urban neighborhoods — the North End, downtown, and the Salem Avenue corridor where large, mature tree canopy gives them the launching points they need to reach rooflines. These are the ones most likely in your attic.
Fox squirrels are bigger, move more slowly, and tend to show up in suburban areas and woodlot edges around Washington County. Less likely to be in the attic, more likely to be under a deck or in a shed.
Grey squirrels have two active breeding seasons in Maryland: late winter (January–February) and midsummer (June–July). Both seasons drive increased movement and attic entry attempts as animals disperse looking for nesting sites.
The most common entry points in Hagerstown's housing stock:
Squirrels don't need a large opening. A gap of two inches is more than enough. And once they find a soft spot, they chew — they can enlarge a minor gap into a significant opening in a matter of days.
Trapping and relocation. Live traps placed at active entry points or along run paths. Traps checked regularly — we don't set and forget. Captured squirrels relocated per Maryland DNR requirements.
Exclusion and sealing. Once the squirrels are out, every entry point gets permanently sealed. We use steel flashing, hardware cloth, and appropriate caulk — materials squirrels can't chew through. This is the step that makes the fix permanent. Trapping without sealing just gives new squirrels an invitation.
Attic assessment. If squirrels have been nesting in the attic, we assess for damage to insulation and wiring. Damaged insulation loses R-value; chewed wiring is a fire risk. If repair or cleanup is needed, we tell you honestly — see our attic restoration page for what's involved.
Hagerstown has no shortage of grey squirrels. Trap out five and five more will find the same open gap within a season. The permanent fix is sealing the structure. We do both — remove what's there, seal what let them in. That's the job done right.
Yes, for two reasons. First, chewed electrical wiring is a real fire hazard. Squirrels gnaw constantly to wear down their teeth — wiring insulation is a target. Second, urine and nesting material in insulation creates odor, moisture retention, and potential health concerns. Don't ignore the scratching sounds.
Typically one to two weeks from initial trapping to final seal. Trapping to clear active animals takes several days to a week depending on activity level. Sealing and entry point repair follows. We don't consider the job done until the structure is sealed.
Not through the same entry points if we've sealed them properly. New animals won't get in. If there are unsealed gaps we missed, they can find them — which is why a thorough whole-building inspection matters. We stand behind our sealing work.
Related services: bat removal · attic restoration and insulation repair
Trapping, exclusion, and permanent sealing. Washington County's squirrel removal specialists.
+1 240-730-4655