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Some stores sell smoke bombs to drive animals out of spaces, but we don’t recommend you use them, especially in an attic. The smoke can be toxic to humans or pets that may accidentally inhale it. Meanwhile, critters can easily escape the smoke by temporarily leaving the attic, only to return via their usual entry points after the smoke clears.

Like a rent-controlled apartment in New York City, rodents know a good thing when they see it. If they've found a cozy nest inside your home, they will set up camp and stay there, leaving only to forage for food and water. As long as they have a warm place to sleep, raise their young, and continue access to water and food, they're going to stick around.

You can remove a wasp nest yourself, but it isn’t a good idea. Although it looks easy enough to hit down a nest with a broom, wasps may be inside or around the nest and are known for getting aggressive when their nest is threatened. If you follow our guidelines for removing wasps nests with pesticide spray, insecticidal dust, water and dish soap, or boiling water, you may be able to safely tackle the problem.

It can be difficult to know what type of animal is in your attic until you see it. But several clues can help you narrow down the suspects:

• Sounds: Smaller animals like rats and mice make scurrying and tapping/gnawing sounds. Larger animals like raccoons and opossums make louder clambering noises. Also, note when animals are noisy: Squirrels are active during the day, while rats are busiest at night.

• Droppings: Rats and mice leave small, rice-shaped droppings (the rat’s version is significantly larger). Bigger droppings belong to larger critters like raccoons. As long as you’re not squeamish, an image search can help you identify what you’re seeing in your attic.

When in doubt, take photos of damage or other evidence and show them to an experienced pest control pro.