How to Stop Squirrels Getting on Your Roof (and Under the Tiles)

Squirrels reach roofs by running along the top of fences, climbing drainpipes, and leaping from overhanging branches — once they find a loose tile or gap in the fascia, they'll exploit it repeatedly. The most effective approach is to cut off every access route at ground and fence level rather than trying to deter them once they're already up there.

Why squirrels want to get on your roof in the first place

Squirrels aren't attracted to roof tiles themselves — they're after what's behind them. A warm loft space is an ideal nesting site, and roof voids offer shelter from predators. Grey squirrels (the common UK species) are active year-round and will scout new nesting sites in autumn and spring. If a squirrel has been getting onto your roof at night, it's almost certainly investigating, or has already found, a gap in the roofline.

Daytime activity usually means foraging routes — a squirrel using your fence top as a highway to reach a neighbour's bird feeder or a tree further along. Night activity is more likely nesting behaviour and warrants a closer look at your fascia boards, soffits and any missing or cracked tiles.

Identify every access route before you do anything else

Blocking one route while leaving others open is wasted effort. Walk the perimeter of your house and note:

• Fence lines that run close to the house. Any fence within jumping distance of the eaves (roughly 2–3 metres) is a launch pad.
• Overhanging branches. Squirrels will jump from branches that overhang or touch the roof. The standard advice is to keep branches pruned back at least 2 metres from the roofline.
• Drainpipes and downpipes. Squirrels climb smooth plastic pipes by gripping the brackets — they're better at this than most people expect.
• Garden structures. Sheds, pergolas and garden arches that sit close to the house can all serve as stepping stones.

Once you've mapped the routes, you can prioritise which to tackle first.

How to stop squirrels running along your fence to the roof

This is the most common route and the most practical one to block. Standard flat bird spikes don't work on squirrels — a squirrel will simply walk across single-height spikes without flinching, treating them as an uneven surface rather than a barrier.

What does work is a spike design with genuinely irregular heights. ThornGuard's deterrent spikes use a three-height pattern (12 mm, 22 mm and 36 mm) specifically because the unpredictable spike heights disrupt the way climbing animals place their feet — there's no flat plane to step across. The strip also folds along its length so it wraps a fence top or post on three sides, which matters because squirrels approach from any angle.

For fitting along a fence top:

1. Measure the full run of fence that leads towards the house.
2. Cut the ThornGuard strip across its four sections to fit the length, or split it lengthways to cover a wider area more economically.
3. Screw directly into timber fence tops using the included screws, or use cable ties on capped or hollow fence posts.
4. On rendered walls or uPVC fascia boards, waterproof adhesive pads (available separately) let you fit without drilling.

Full fitting instructions are on the ThornGuard fitting guide.

How to stop squirrels climbing drainpipes and walls

For drainpipes, a physical baffle is more practical than spikes. A smooth cone-shaped guard fitted around the pipe below roof height — sometimes called a squirrel guard or pipe baffle — makes it impossible for the squirrel to get a grip past the flared edge. These are available from most hardware stores and can usually be fitted without tools, clipping around the pipe at a height of around 1.5 metres.

For flat wall surfaces close to a flat roof or low extension roof, deterrent spikes fitted along the top edge of the wall remove the landing surface entirely. This is the same principle as protecting a fence — if there's nowhere comfortable to land and travel, squirrels will look for a different route.

How to stop squirrels getting under roof tiles and into the loft

Once you've addressed the access routes, check the roof structure itself:

• Fascia and soffit boards: Any gap wider than roughly 25 mm is large enough for a squirrel to squeeze through. Rotting timber is the most common culprit — squirrels can enlarge small gaps quickly with their teeth. Replace damaged sections and seal gaps with galvanised wire mesh before finishing with timber or uPVC cladding. Mesh is preferable to filler alone because squirrels will gnaw through expanding foam.
• Roof tiles: Missing or cracked tiles should be replaced promptly. A roofer can also fit purpose-made tile clips that resist lifting from below.
• Vents and air bricks: Roof vents should have intact mesh grilles. If the mesh has corroded or been pushed out, replace it with stainless steel mesh (minimum 6 mm aperture is fine for ventilation but too small for squirrels to pass through).

If squirrels are already in the loft, UK law doesn't prevent you from trapping and relocating grey squirrels — they are not a protected species. However, once you have an active nest with young, disturbing it becomes more complicated. If you're unsure, a pest controller or the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) can advise on what's legal and practical at the time of year.

What doesn't work (and wastes your time)

Ultrasonic devices: The evidence for ultrasonic squirrel deterrents is weak. Squirrels habituate quickly and the effective range is rarely as advertised.

Chilli powder or pepper: Squirrels do dislike capsaicin, and sprinkling around garden beds can reduce digging. But on a roof or fence top, rain washes it off within hours and it needs constant reapplication. Not a realistic long-term solution.

Single-height flat spikes: As above — effective against birds landing on a ledge, but squirrels walk straight over them. If you've already tried flat spikes and found squirrels ignoring them, this is why.

Decoy predators: Plastic owls and hawk kites are ignored by squirrels almost immediately. They may have a very short-term effect in the first day or two, but there's no evidence of lasting deterrence.

Does blocking fence access actually stop roof damage?

For most houses, yes — the fence line is the primary highway. In gardens with large trees close to the house, you may need to prune branches back as well, since a squirrel can clear 2 metres horizontally from a branch with ease. If you address both the fence route and any overhanging branches, you remove the two most common access points, and squirrels will typically move on to easier territory.

See the ThornGuard animal spikes page for more on how the spike design works against climbing animals specifically.

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Common questions

How do I stop squirrels getting under my roof tiles?

Fit galvanised wire mesh over any gaps in fascia, soffit or ridge areas — squirrels can gnaw through expanding foam but not metal mesh. Replace any cracked or missing tiles promptly, and check that roof vents have intact stainless steel grilles.

Why are squirrels on my roof at night?

Night-time activity strongly suggests a squirrel is investigating your loft as a nesting site, or has already established a nest there. Daytime roof use is more often a foraging route. If you hear scratching or movement in the loft at night, inspect your fascia boards and soffits for gaps as a priority.

Do squirrel-proof fence spikes actually work?

Standard flat bird spikes don't deter squirrels — the spikes need to be irregular in height so there's no flat surface to walk across. Three-height designs like ThornGuard's are specifically built for this reason. Fitted consistently along the full fence run that leads towards the house, they remove the route rather than just making it slightly inconvenient.