Sea Point packs a lot into a narrow strip between Lion's Head and the promenade: tall blocks of flats, old Victorian homes, and a non-stop run of restaurants on Main and Regent roads. Most of our work here is in apartments and food businesses.
Rodents around Sea Point
Rats live around restaurant bins, refuse rooms and the stormwater drains near the promenade. Mice get into flats through service ducts.
High-rise and mid-rise blocks dominate, many built in the 1960s and 1970s with shared refuse rooms and service ducts. There are also older Victorian and Edwardian homes and a growing number of short-term rentals. Cockroaches and bed bugs spread between flats through ducts and with guests' luggage. Restaurants and takeaways along the main roads need ongoing commercial control.
The suburb runs along the Atlantic coast, with sea spray, salt air and the wind funnelling down from Lion's Head and Signal Hill. Winters are wet and summers windy and dry. The coastline and promenade attract gulls and pigeons, and the mountain slopes above bring in rodents.
Signs to look for
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- 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.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
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.
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.
Our process, step by step
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.
- Roof inspection
We check the roof space and outside roof line to find nests and every entry point.
- Exclusion or trapping
One-way exclusion devices or live traps are fitted so the squirrels leave the roof.
- Confirm it is empty
We check that no squirrels or babies are left inside before anything is sealed.
- Proofing
Entry points are sealed with steel mesh and repairs, so they cannot chew back in.
- Report
You get a report with details of the work done and any trees to trim.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
- 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.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
What affects the price
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.
Questions we get asked in Sea Point
How do you deal with bed bugs in a Sea Point short-term rental?
We treat all affected rooms and furniture and give you a prep list and report. Booking a quick turnaround between guests is possible on request.
Can squirrels damage my roof?
Yes. They chew fascia boards, roof edges and cables, and they nest in insulation.
Do you come out to Sea Point for squirrel control?
Yes. Sea Point is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Three Anchor Bay, Green Point. 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.
Can you stop pigeons nesting on my Sea Point balcony?
Yes, we fit bird netting and spikes on balconies, ledges and aircon units. Check with your body corporate first, as some blocks have rules about what can be installed.
Are grey squirrels protected in Cape Town?
Grey squirrels are not an indigenous species. We still remove them humanely and do not use poison.
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