Athlone is busy, built-up and full of small businesses, so a lot of our work here is about stopping pests moving between homes, shops and takeaways that share the same blocks. The Black River and the old open land around the wastewater works on the Pinelands side give rodents and mosquitoes somewhere to breed just outside the residential streets.
The local picture in Athlone
Brown rats burrow in the sandy soil along boundary walls and come up into outbuildings and garages. Mice are more of a winter problem, getting into roof spaces through gaps under the tiles.
Most homes are older semi-detached and freestanding brick houses, plus council flats in places like Kewtown and Bridgetown. Many have been extended at the back over the years, and those join-ups between old and new roofs leave gaps that rats and mice use. In the flat blocks, German cockroaches travel along shared plumbing ducts, so treating one unit on its own rarely holds for long.
The ground is flat Cape Flats sand with a fairly high water table, so winter rain sits in low spots and stormwater drains run full. The Black River runs along the north-western edge before joining the Liesbeek near the Raapenberg wetland. The South-Easter blows hard through summer and pushes flies and litter into sheltered yards.
Rats are the main complaint, especially near Klipfontein Road businesses and homes close to the river. German cockroaches are a constant in flats and food shops, and Argentine ants come inside in numbers when the first winter rains arrive. Summer brings flies and mosquitoes, with the worst mosquito pressure in houses closest to the river and vlei edges.
From the technician
When a technician inspects for squirrels, the first thing he looks at is the trees around the house, because the branches show where the squirrels are jumping onto the roof.
Landlords often get the call from tenants about noises in the ceiling. Proofing the roof is a one-time investment that saves repeated call-outs.
Signs to look for
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
Squirrels in the roof chew cables, which is a fire risk, and they damage insulation and ceiling boards. Their urine and droppings can stain ceilings and cause smells. They also chew through irrigation pipes, damage fruit trees and dig up gardens. A squirrel that dies in the roof leaves an unpleasant smell for weeks.
How the treatment works
We do not use poison for squirrels. Our approach is exclusion: we find every entry point and fit one-way exclusion devices so the squirrels can get out but not back in. Where it makes sense, live cage traps are used to remove squirrels from the roof. Once the roof is empty, we close the gaps with steel mesh and repair chewed areas so they cannot get back in. We also advise on trimming branches that give squirrels easy access to the roof.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our squirrel control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
Pricing, honestly
The cost depends on how many entry points there are, how high the roof is and how much repair and proofing is needed. A single gap is quick to deal with, but an older roof with many chewed areas takes longer. Trapping and follow-up visits are included in the free quote.
You can trim the trees and fix obvious gaps yourself, but sealing a roof with squirrels still inside is a mistake that leads to trapped animals and more damage. Getting them out humanely and proofing the whole roof line properly is a job worth getting professional help for.
Frequently asked questions
Do the rats in Athlone come from the Black River?
Some do, especially in streets closest to the river and the open land around the treatment works. Most, though, are living in the sand along boundary walls and under outbuildings, so we bait and seal at the house as well as along the river side.
Can squirrels damage my roof?
Yes. They chew fascia boards, roof edges and cables, and they nest in insulation.
Do you come out to Athlone for squirrel control?
Yes. Athlone is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Crawford, Rondebosch East, Lansdowne, Langa. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
What if there are babies in the roof?
We check for young before sealing, because sealing them in causes suffering, smells and more damage.
Are grey squirrels protected in Cape Town?
Grey squirrels are not an indigenous species. We still remove them humanely and do not use poison.
Why do cockroaches keep coming back in my Athlone flat?
In the council flat blocks, German cockroaches move through shared plumbing ducts and walls, so neighbouring units keep re-infesting each other. Treating the whole block, or at least the units on either side, gives a far longer result.
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