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Signs Your Attic Needs Rodent Proofing & Decontamination

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Decontaminating, Rat Proofing.

The attic is an “out of sight out of mind” area of most people’s homes as it is often used for storage or it simply remains unused. When it is not properly cleaned, insulated, or simply neglected your attic can cause you more problems than you bargained for. One huge problem you can encounter in an attic is a rodent infestation. If you have a rodent problem, not only can they introduce health risks to you and your family, but they can also damage vital elements like insulation, pipes, wood, and electrical wires. Because of this, it is important to stay alert to the presence of any rodents that could wreak havoc on your attic. Here are the top 10 signs your attic needs rodent proofing and decontamination. 

10 Signs Your Attic Needs Rodent Proofing and Decontamination

If you suspect that there is an uninvited guest of the rodent kind in your attic there are certain signs that will tell you if you need rodent proofing and decontamination services. 

  • Hearing noises such as scurrying, squeaking, or other out of the ordinary sounds coming from your attic
  • Rodent droppings are appearing in your attic area
  • Wires that are gnawed and have bite marks
  • Unusual smells emanating from your attic area
  • Tears and bite marks causing damage to your insulation 
  • Wood decay in your attic and crawl space
  • The presence of bite marks on pipes
  • Missing shingles from your roof where the rodent has made entry
  • You are experiencing allergies or your allergies are worse than normal
  • Your pets are in distress due to the presence of unwanted animals

How can I safely inspect my attic? 

Inspecting your attic is an important part of home maintenance that allows you to prevent or identify problems such as a rodent infestation. Some critical aspects that should be addressed in an attic inspection are the ventilation, insulation, any leaks, the exhaust ducts, and if there are any signs of pests like rodents. When inspecting your attic, safety should always be at the top of your mind. You should carry a high powered flashlight, a dust mask, safety goggles, and high quality gloves to protect yourself from anything you may encounter on your inspection.

If you suspect there are rodents in your attic, the best thing you can do is call a professional who has the tools and knowledge to safely inspect your attic. A professional like Attic Construction can inspect your attic to understand the extent of the problem and offer rodent proofing solutions and decontamination for your home. 

What is the most effective rodent control?

A common method of rodent proofing and control is removing their sources of food, water, and shelter to prevent their survival in your home. However, this won’t completely eliminate their presence, particularly if they are still able to gain entry to your home through open spaces in your attic. Moreover, simply cleaning with bleach will not fully decontaminate the area as there will be germs, fungi, and harmful bacteria as a result of the rodent infestation. 

If you want a completely rodent free home, one of the most effective methods you can employ is sealing up any entry points where they may be gaining access to your space. With the help of professionals like Attic Construction, your attic can be properly decontaminated from any rodent infestation and rodent proofing systems can be put into place to keep the unwanted visitors out of your home. 

How can rodents damage your attic? 

Rodents in your attic can be very detrimental to your overall health and they can also cause a lot of unwanted damage to your home. The presence of rodents produces droppings and grime that creates an environment where mold can thrive. Mold causes wood decay which can damage your attic, crawl space, and the HVAC system of your home, which can be very expensive to repair. 

Rodents are also prone to chewing on essential pieces of your home like pipes, wires, and insulation. All of these elements will be present in your attic, so the presence of rodents can cause you huge problems. Additionally, the presence of rodents could damage any personal items you have stored in your attic. 

What is the best sealant to keep mice out?

A sealant is used to repair small gaps or cracks in the foundation or any other building materials in need of repair. Sealant alone won’t keep the rodents out, but when applied on metal or wood surfaces, it can be effectively used to keep the pesky visitors out of your attic.  

One of the best sealants used by professionals to keep rodents out of your home is silicone. Silicone sealant has many benefits: it is difficult for rodents to chew through, it is non-toxic, and it can be used on multiple surfaces. When silicone sealant is coupled with steel wires, metal, or wood surfaces, it is a great solution to seal entry points where rodents may be gaining access to your home. 

Why should I hire a professional to help me? 

We know that DIY is a popular consumer trend, but rodent proofing and decontamination is no easy feat and not a job you should take on yourself. By hiring a professional, you are getting services from someone who knows the best solutions to a rodent problem that is affecting your home. A professional like the team at Attic Construction are experts in understanding how rodent behavior can affect your attic and have proven methods for effectively decontaminating your home and keeping rodents out for good.  

 

How to Rodent-Proof Your Attic

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Rat Proofing. No Comments on How to Rodent-Proof Your Attic

The attic is an area of the home that often gets overlooked by homeowners. The ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality might work for some aspects of homeownership – but when it comes to the attic, this mindset can quickly lead to big (and expensive) problems. 

Whether your home features a finished attic space or simply hosts a whole lot of insulation and storage boxes, tending to this area of the home is important and can save you major headaches down the line. In particular, the attic is a common place for pests and critters, namely rodents to enter your home by way of vents and infest throughout different areas of the house. 

An attic rid of mice is a critical part of protecting your property from damage and keeping you and your family healthy and comfortable. In this article, we will go over why having a rodent proof attic is important, tell you how to rodent-proof your attic, and discuss whether attic rodent-proofing is a project that should be taken on with or without professional help.

Why Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

Before we discuss how attic rodent control works, you may be curious about why this is an important project to take on in the first place. Rodents such as rats and mice can cause extensive damage and pose a serious threat to human health. Infestations often spread quickly and can turn from bad to worse in weeks or months. Generally, rodent infestations are worse in the colder months, as the animals seek refuge from the frigid temperatures. A rodent infestation poses these major threats to homeowners:

  • Damage: Rodents can wreak havoc on your property in a very short amount of time. Their feces, urine, and decaying bodies leave a nasty mess that stains and soils elements of your attic and home such as insulation, baseboards, and framing. Furthermore, rodents are notorious for their constant gnawing – which can leave holes and gouges in nearly any material. In particular, rats and mice tend to destroy existing insulation because it is an ideal material for them to build nests out of, or to nest in directly. Some products advertise themselves as being rodent-proof attic insulation, but the truth is that rodent proof insulation does not exist.
  • Fire: As if the damage from rodent waste and activity wasn’t enough, these animals pose an immediate and critical fire danger to your home. It has been estimated that somewhere around 20% of all house fires in the U.S. are started via rodent activity. Rodents are notorious for chewing through electrical wires. This can cause shorts in the circuit and, in some cases, electrical fires. Even if rodents chew your wires and do not cause a fire, tracking down the location of the broken circuit and repairing it can be very costly and time-consuming. Plus, if you still have a rodent infestation, your wires might be chewed again shortly after repairing them.
  • Disease: As if the extensive damage to your home and fire danger weren’t enough already, rodents also bring with them many hazards to human health. Rodents are carriers of many diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Some of them can be fatal. Diseases that rodents may carry include hantavirus, leptospirosis, plague, and salmonella – just to name a few. These diseases are not always transmitted through direct contact with rodents – they can also be transmitted through their urine and feces, or through indirect contact with food sources, such as an item in your pantry that has been contaminated. 
  • Allergies: Rodent activity in the home has been linked to higher rates of allergy in humans. Not only are some people allergic to rodents and their waste, but rodent activity can kick up other allergens in the home such as those from dust or destroyed insulation. Allergies can sometimes be an indicator for homeowners that they have rodents in the attic or around the home.

How Can You Tell if You Have Rodents in Your Attic?

Before you start rodent proofing your home and attic, you will need a good attic cleaning. Rodent droppings, urine stains, and other waste threaten your family’s health and safety. 

When you hire a professional team for rodent removal purposes, the first thing they will do is assess your home. An important part of this process is identifying whether you have a current rodent problem. If you do, you will not only need rodent proofing services, but you will also need a rodent removal and rodent clean-up service. Look for the following signs in your attic to determine whether rodents are present:

  • Waste: One of the tell-tale signs of critter activity in the attic is the presence of rodent droppings and urine stains. Mice droppings tend to be very small and pointy on the ends, while rat droppings are usually slightly larger with rounded ends. That said, some species vary from this norm. For example, roof rats have pointed droppings. Old droppings are dry and crumbly, while fresh ones are shiny and paste-like in texture. Rodent urine sometimes leaves stains and in the case of a larger infestation, can be smelled quite easily.
  • Damage: Rodents chew almost constantly. If you have chewed holes in your attic, rodents are a likely culprit. Additionally, the pests commonly chew up and destroy existing insulation. They do so for the purpose of making nests, so if you find nests made of insulation or other materials from your home, you have a rodent infestation.
  • Noise: Sometimes, knowing whether you have rodents in your attic is as simple as being able to hear or even see them. Rodents’ claws make scurrying noises, and their gnawing activity is often audibly heard in areas of the home as well. Even if you can’t hear or see rodents yourself, other members of your home (fur-covered ones, to be precise) might still be able to detect them. If your pets are scratching at the walls or floorboards or acting abnormally, they might be onto something. 

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic

The only way to truly eradicate rodents from your home is to keep them out of it altogether. Temporary fixes such as poison and mouse snap traps can be useful in killing rodents that are already in your home, but they will do little to prevent future infestation. Plus, pest control poisons can be extremely dangerous to pets and children, and for this reason, are not recommended for household use. 

Professional rodent proofing teams begin by assessing your home to determine whether you have a current infestation. Next, they inspect every inch of your building’s exterior and make note of any gap, hole, crawl space, air duct, or crevice through which rodents may be able to enter. Mice need just 1/4 of an inch of space to gain entry into your home, while rats only need 1/2 of an inch! 

Once your home has been assessed, the team will get to work sealing off any potential rodent entry points. The most common sealing tools used are rat proof wire mesh and professional sealant. Sometimes, gaps in doors and windows are large enough that weather stripping or the door itself needs to be replaced. 

Common areas of entry are through pipes, cracks in the foundation, chimneys, and gaps between roof awnings and siding. Rodent proofing professionals know how to find the vulnerable areas of your home efficiently and seal them effectively.

Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

These days, homeowners are taking on all sorts of attic projects that used to be considered too difficult or dangerous for ‘DIY’ers’. When it comes to rodent-proofing your attic, it is not a good idea to try and tackle the project on your own. You’ll need the help of an attic cleanup and attic insulation removal service to remove any damaged insulation caused by rodents. Although the benefits of rodent proofing your attic are vast, it is important that this project is undertaken in the most effective manner.

To safely access every possible entry point, you need a lot of tools and equipment. It may seem like a manageable project at first, but once you begin to realize how many 1/4 inch gaps there are in hard-to-reach areas of your home’s exterior, you will begin to regret trying to do this yourself. 

In addition to the obvious safety concerns, homeowners are rarely successful in completely sealing off their home from rodents. Not only is it difficult to find rodent entry points, but creating an effective, lasting seal in these areas takes expertise and experience. What’s the point of committing the time, effort, and money to take this project on yourself if you simply find yourself with a new rodent problem a short time later?

What You Can Do to Help Rodent-Proof Your Home

Although it is not advisable to take the entire project on yourself, there are things that homeowners can do to mitigate the chances of rodent infestation and help with pest control in the future like keeping your attic clean. Once a professional team has sealed off your home, they will advise you as to how you can make your home less attractive to rodents.

Some best practices to keep in mind are storing all food and pet food in air-tight containers, upgrading to heavy-duty storage from cardboard boxes, and trimming trees and shrubs that are close to the perimeter of your house. 

In these ways, you can bolster the hard work that the professional rodent-proofing team has done and ensure that your home remains pest-free for years to come. For more information on our San Diego and Orange County rodent proofing services, contact our team of professionals at Attic Construction for all your insulation service and rodent proofing needs today!

Sources:

  1. https://www.epa.gov/rodenticides/identify-and-prevent-rodent-infestations
  2. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/keep-rodents-out-insulation-32065.html
  3. https://www.victorpest.com/articles/rodent-proof-your-house-for-winter

Benefits of Rodent Proofing Your Attic

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Rat Proofing. No Comments on Benefits of Rodent Proofing Your Attic

Your home should be a sanctuary free of critters, rats, and mice for you and your family – a place to relax, recharge, and feel safe. Any threats to your home’s safety and comfort should be addressed immediately and thoroughly. 

Rodents are an example of common household pests that can pose a serious threat to your home’s safety and comfort. The attic is a very common area for rodents to enter through and inhabit, so attic rodent-proofing is critical to keeping these nuisance animals out. The benefits of rodent-proofing your attic far exceed the cost of having the job done right by professional pest inspectors. These benefits can be put into two main categories for homeowners: avoiding health hazards and avoiding damage to your home.

Avoid Health Hazards

One of the primary benefits of rodent-proofing your attic is that you will not be exposed to the many health threats posed by such nuisance animals. Health hazards caused by lack of rodent control include:

Disease

The single biggest threat that rodents pose to human health is the diseases they carry and spread. The spread of infectious diseases from rodents to humans does not just happen via direct contact with the animals; it can also happen through contact with droppings and urine. Rodents have a tendency of getting into household food items, thus disease can often be spread in areas, such as the kitchen or pantry.

Rodents can host a large number of diseases, some of which are deadly to humans. Examples of diseases spread by rodents are leptospirosis, salmonella, hantavirus, and even the plague. Keeping rodents from crawling through the vents, or cracks and crevices of your home is the only effective way to ensure that you will not be exposed to these dangerous diseases while inside your house.

Allergies

Disease is not the only threat to human health that is posed by rodents in the home. Many people experience allergic reactions when their homes are infested by rodents and control services have not yet been contacted for pest removal purposes. Rodents can make symptoms flare up in those with asthma, and they may cause allergic reactions in people who do not have asthma, either.

Hair, urine, and feces from rodents can trigger allergic reactions. Imagine walking into your own home after a long day of work, only to have to deal with an intense allergic reaction because you have a rodent infestation in your attic. Rodent-proof benefits include avoiding this hazardous situation altogether. 

Avoid Damage to Your Home

Most of us already know that rats and mice like to chew holes in just about anything they can find – but do you know why? These critters don’t just chew to access food or make new passageways; they actually have to chew for their survival. 

Rats and mice have teeth that continue to grow for their entire life. To shave them down to a size that is manageable and useful to them, they must chew almost constantly. When rodents live in your attic, this means that your home and anything inside of it becomes fair game for their chewing. Additionally, mice like to chew up materials in your attic such as insulation and cardboard to make shelter nests for themselves. A thorough inspection is the first step in rodent control and removal. There are so many methods to prevent further damage, such as installing rodent resistant insulation.

Damage to your home caused by rodents can also result from the mess they leave behind. Urine, feces, and decaying bodies of rodents can leave nasty stains and odors that require professional attic cleaning to remedy and eliminate the aftermath. A great benefit of rodent-proofing your attic is avoiding the various types of damage caused by rodents altogether.

Prevent Fire

If you are not already convinced that rodent-proofing your attic is a beneficial practice, consider this: rodents can cause house fires. Gnawed wood, insulation, and personal items are damaging to your home, but it is nothing in comparison to what can happen when a rodent chews through an electrical wire. 

When rodents chew through wires in your attic or elsewhere in your home, they can cause circuit shorts which result in sparks or electrical fires. When the conditions are right, these small fires can quickly turn into full-blown house fires, completely destroying your home and potentially injuring or killing any people or pets inside of it. 

It has been estimated that around 1 out of every 5 house fires can be attributed to rodents, specifically rat and mice activity. The only way to ensure that your house does not go up in flames as a result of rodent chewing is to keep the animal out altogether. Attics tend to be one of the most vulnerable areas of the home for rodent entry points and infestation, so sealing this area off is a must for proactive homeowners.

Wrapping Up

If you have any more questions about rodent-proofing your attic, contact one of our attic professionals at Attic Construction today! Our Phoenix, San Diego and Orange County rodent proofing technicians are always ready to help! 

Sources:

https://greenratcontrol.com/the-shocking-dangers-of-rats-and-mice-in-your-home/

https://www.catseyepest.com/blog/benefits-of-exclusion

https://www.bredapest.com/news/the-dangers-of-rodents-in-the-attic-this2

 

When To Call For Rat Control – Recognizing Infestation

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on When To Call For Rat Control – Recognizing Infestation

Being able to recognize the many signs of rodent infestation is important. Rodents are nocturnal, so you might not actually see a rodent in your home even if you have an active rodent infestation. If you notice any of these things happening in your home, be sure to call a professional rat control service to come and inspect your home right away to see if you have a rodent infestation:

 

Rodent Droppings – You will typically find rodent droppings anywhere near where rodents are eating or nesting. Rodents produce a lot of droppings and if you have an infestation it is likely you will find them all over the house. Common places to see rodent feces includes attics, along walls, on top of wall studs/beams, in old boxes, and in kitchen cabinets.

 

Squeaks And Grinding Sounds – Rodents aren’t quiet. They like to grind their teeth on wood which can cause loud scraping noises throughout your house. If you’ve been hearing animal noises you can’t explain, like squeaks, rustling and scampering sounds you might have rodents living in your home.

 

Urine Trails – Rodents have weak bladders that cause them to leave trails of urine all over the home. Mice sometimes make what are called “urinating pillars” around the home. These “pillars” are mounds of grease, dirt and urine.

 

Nests – Rodents love to build nests in warm, soft materials like fabric or attic insulation. They will usually look for sheltered, out-of-the-way places like attics and crawl spaces to build their nests. If you notice ripped up fabric or insulation along with rodent droppings you may have just stumbled upon a rodent nest.

 

Gnaw Marks – All rodents need to gnaw in order to wear down their teeth. Rodents love to chew on wood, but if no wood can be found they will gnaw on whatever is closest. If you suspect you are dealing with a rodent infestation, be on the lookout for rodent teeth marks on wooden door frames and chewed, frayed electrical wiring.

 

Grease Marks – Rodents are flexible and can squeeze through holes that are only as big as a quarter. Often, when they squeeze through these tight spaces they leave behind dirty grease marks. Look for these along your walls and baseboards and report any holes you find to your rat control technician when they arrive to inspect your home. These holes might lead to nests or provide rodents access to your home.

 

Overly Excited Pets – If you have a pet and your cat or dog seems extra excitable, they could be detecting rodent intruders.

 

Rodent infestation can endanger your family’s health and cause significant damage to your home as well. If you’ve noticed these signs, call a professional rat control service right away and be sure to get your home inspected.

 

Call Attic Construction

 

For more information about rat control or crawl space cleaning services contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118.

Rodent Control Methods

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on Rodent Control Methods

Rats and mice like to breed and nest in the small, secret spaces of your home like your attic or crawl spaces. By the time you notice they’re there, you may already have a full blown rodent infestation on your hands. Rodent infestations are difficult to get rid of. Rodents are masters of hiding out of sight in walls, they breed quickly, and are flexible enough to fit through holes in your walls and baseboards the size of a quarter. Because of this, rodent control professionals need to use a combination of several rodent control methods in order to not only rid your house of rodents, but to prevent them from coming back.

 

Rodent Control Method #1: Traps

 

  • What Are Traps? Rodent traps do exactly what their name implies, they trap rodents. Traps come in all shapes and sizes depending on the type of rodent infestation you are dealing with and the severity of the infestation. A rodent control specialist will know the best places to set traps in your home based on your rodent activity.
  • How Do Traps Work? There are several types of rodent traps. Regular traps include things like snap traps and glue traps, both of which aim to kill the rodents. Snap traps are traps with a very powerful spring inside. These traps are set with bait and snap closed quickly killing the rat. Glue traps are a powerful sticky fly paper that can be placed anywhere. When rodents run across the glue trap they get stuck and either starve to death or can be removed from your home by a professional. Humane traps, are traps that simply trap rodents without killing them. These traps are like big cages. As soon as a rodent enters the trap the door shuts, trapping it inside. Once you’ve captured a rodent you can pick the trap up by its handle and remove the rodent to wherever you plan to release it.
  • The Trouble With Traps. Rodents breed quickly making rodent trapping a full-time job. As soon as you trap some rodents, there will be more. Rodent trapping does nothing to prevent future re-infestation of your home.

 

Rodent Control Method #2: Poison

 

  • What Is Poison? Rodent control professionals use poison to kill the active rodent population in your home. It is the most commonly used method by pest control companies to shrink an active rodent population.
  • How Does Poison Work? Rodent poisons, also known as rodenticides, comes in several forms, but pellets are the most commonly used. These poisons are anti-coagulants, meaning they kill the rodent by causing massive internal bleeding.
  • The Problem With Poisons. Rodents have to ingest several doses of poison for the poison to actually work. Because it takes so long to work, poisoned rats often die in hard to reach places in your home, like inside your home’s walls, causing foul odors and exposing your family to harmful bacteria and diseases. Leaving poison around your home can be especially dangerous if you have children or small pets.

 

Rodent Control Method #3: Rodent Proofing

 

  • What Is Rodent Proofing? Rodent proofing is the only permanent way to eliminate a rodent infestation in your home. During the rodent proofing process, skilled rodent control technicians find and seal all rodent access points in your home to block rats from getting in and prevent future infestations.
  • How Does Rodent Proofing Work? Rodent proofing happens in 3 stages. First your home is inspected and all rodent entry access points are located. Then all of these access points are sealed using a combination of professional grade sealant and steel mesh. Lastly, the infested areas of your home are completely cleaned, disinfected and deodorized to restore your home to a healthy environment.

 

Call Attic Construction

 

For more information about rodent control, contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

Permanent Rat Pest Control

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on Permanent Rat Pest Control

The only form of completely permanent rat pest control is called rodent proofing. Rodent proofing is accomplished without the use of any dangerous chemicals poisons or traps. It involves three major phases – inspection, home sealing and cleaning and decontamination.

 

Initial Home Inspection

Every successful rodent proofing job begins with a thorough inspection of the property. Professional rat pest control technicians will be looking closely at your home to see where the infestation is and to find any rodent entry access points in your baseboards, walls or roof. Because rodents are highly flexible and can squeeze through a gap as small as a quarter, rat pest control specialists will need to take their time and comb through every inch of your house looking for potential entry points.

 

Home Sealing

Once the rat pest control technicians have figured out where all of the potential rodent entry access points in your home are, it is time to seal them. Your rat pest control professional will go to each individual entry point and seal it using a mix of professional grade sealant and wire mesh. Sealing these entry points are what prevent future rodent infestations and make rodent proofing a truly permanent solution for homeowners. When hiring a rodent proofing company, be sure to get one that guarantees the permanency of their rodent proofing with a 12 month warranty.

 

Cleaning And Decontamination

After your rodent infestation has been taken care of and your home has been properly sealed, it’s time to deal with the aftermath of the infestation itself. Rodent infestations can cause massive damage to homes. Frayed electrical wiring, rotting rat carcasses, ripped up insulation and copious amounts of rat urine and feces make the cleanup after an infestation a job for professionals. A professional rat pest control company will have equipment to ensure that your home is not only cleaned, but professionally decontaminated. Rats carry a number of dangerous, highly contagious diseases including hanta virus, hemmorhagic fever, salmonella, rat bite fever and typhus. Professional decontamination is the only way to ensure that any lingering disease particles are completely eradicated.

 

The high speed breeding cycle of rodents makes setting traps or putting out poisons a highly inefficient way to go about rat pest control. Instead of buying a temporary solution to your rat problems, invest in rodent proofing and rid your home of rats for good. Hiring a professional rat pest control company not only assures that your home remains rodent free for good, it ensures that the entire process is done safely and that your home is restored to a healthy environment.

 

Call Attic Construction

For more information about rat pest control, contact Phoenix, San Diego, or Orange County rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

Rodent Removal Safety

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on Rodent Removal Safety

Caution is key when you’re dealing with a rodent infestation. Rodents bite and scratch, carry dangerous diseases and can cause serious damage to your home. For these reasons, rodent removal should be handled with the utmost care in order to keep you, your family and your home as safe as possible. Here are a few key ways to ensure your home and the ones you love stay safe during the rodent removal process –

 

Hire A Professional.

 

Rodent removal is not a DIY job. Attempting to remove rodents from your home yourself exposes you to a myriad of dangerous diseases like hanta virus, hemmorhagic fever, salmonella, rat bite fever and typhus. Attempting to remove rodents yourself without the knowledge and professional grade equipment of a rodent removal company puts you at risk of getting sick or being bitten and scratched by rodents.

 

Choose Proofing Over Poison.

 

While many pest control companies use poison to decimate active rodent populations in your home, this might not be the safest thing for your family. Leaving rat poisons out around your home can be a risk, especially if you have curious pets or small children. Instead of using poison, hire a rodent proofing company instead. Not only is rodent proofing done without the use of dangerous chemicals, it is the only permanent way to ensure that your home is secured against future reinfestation.

 

Check Your Home For Fire Hazards.

 

Rats love chew on everything from your attic insulation to your home’s wooden doorframes. Unfortunately rodents love chewing on electrical wiring too. If you’re dealing with an active rodent infestation, be sure to have a professional inspect your home for frayed or damaged electrical wires. A single electric spark from a damaged wire can cause your home to go up in flames.

 

Get Your Home Professionally Decontaminated.

 

Once the rodents have been removed from your home and your home has been sealed against future infestation you may think you are equipped to do the cleaning part yourself, but you shouldn’t. Cleanup after a rodent infestation is not a normal DIY job. Rat feces and urine can carry disease and breed harmful germs and bacteria. A professional cleanup crew will know how to clean infested areas and dispose of rat carcasses and damaged insulation in a way that is safe. They will also have the equipment to ensure that your home is completely disinfected.

 

A rodent infestation poses a number of serious health and safety risks. Don’t gamble with your health and safety by attempting to remove rodents and clean up after an infestation on your on. Instead, as soon as you suspect you have a rodent infestation, call for professional help. Hiring a professional rodent removal company will ensure that your rodent problems are handled as efficiently and safely as possible.

 

Call Attic Construction

For more information about rat removal, contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

3 Reasons To Call A Professional Rat Removal Company

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on 3 Reasons To Call A Professional Rat Removal Company

If you’re a homeowner with access to the internet then you probably already know how quick and easy it is to search for, and find, a DIY solution to almost any problem you could have with your home. The same holds true for rat removal. A quick google search will turn up 100s of DIY rat removal solutions instantly. However, DIY rat removal is highly dangerous and is never a good idea. Here are three main reasons to call a professional rat removal company instead:

 

    1. Health Hazards – Rodents carry a myriad of dangerous, highly contagious diseases including things like hanta virus, hemmorhagic fever, salmonella, rat bite fever and typhus. These diseases can be spread through direct contact, like rat bites, or simply by breathing contaminated air. Attempting to take care of a home rodent infestation on your own, especially without the proper training or equipment, exposes you to these diseases directly and increases your chance of getting sick.
    2. Dangerous Debris – Rats are highly destructive, and wherever they nest they are likely to cause destruction leaving dangerous debris in their wake. In addition to this, rodents tend to nest in tight spaces, like attics and crawl spaces, which are generally harder to move around and maneuver in. Attempting to remove rats on your own means being in very close quarters with some dangerous debris including things like rat feces and urine, destroyed insulation, dead animal carcasses, and frayed/exposed electrical wiring. Plus, dealing with an active rodent infestation in your home means you also risk running into live rats who may attempt to bite you if they feel threatened.
    3. Ineffective Solution – Rodents breed quickly making rodent infestations hard to handle even for traditional pest control companies. Attempting to set down traps and lay out poison for rodents in your home can be dangerous if you aren’t trained to do so. And, even if you are able to successfully trap and poison some of the rats in your home, it is unlikely to solve your rodent problem for good. In order to permanently end a rodent infestation, you’ll need to hire a rat removal company that specializes in rodent proofing. Rodent proofing your home requires a technician who understands how to find and seal rodent entry points in order to prevent reinfestation. Simply using traps or poison will not get rid of your rodent problem. And, if all rodent access points in your home aren’t sealed properly rodents will find their way back in and your problem will start all over again.

 

Rat removal isn’t a DIY job. Permanent rodent removal requires specialized knowledge and professional grade equipment to be done correctly. If you’re dealing with a rodent infestation, don’t gamble with your health or your home by using a DIY rat removal solution off the internet. Instead, call a professional rat removal company as quickly as possible and have them do a thorough inspection of your house. Once they’ve inspected your home, these professional technicians will be able to recommend and carry out a permanent solution to your rodent problems and restore your home to a healthy environment.

 

Call Attic Construction

For more information about rat removal, contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

What Does A Rat Control Service Do?

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Attic Rats, Rat Proofing, Roof Rats. No Comments on What Does A Rat Control Service Do?

You recognize the signs. You’ve found rodent droppings, heard scratching noises in your attic and even found rodent carcasses in your home. You know you’ve got a rodent infestation in your home and you’ve decided to contact a professional rat control service. But, who are these rat control technicians and what will they do when they get to your home?

 

Rat Control Services: An Overview

Simply put, a rat control service is a professional service with technicians who are specially trained to eliminate and prevent rodent infestation in homes. In addition to normal pest control extermination techniques, a good rat control service team will be well versed in rodent proofing, cleanup and decontamination, and insulation restoration. Rats often nest in the attic or crawl spaces of a home, so be sure to look for a rodent control service with attic expertise that understands how to spot and repair damages to things like attic insulation and electrical wiring.

 

Insulation Restoration

Rodents love to make their nests in the warm, soft insulation in your attic. Unfortunately for you, this nesting destroys your attic insulation, rendering your home insulation completely ineffective. Rodent urine and feces, can also seep into your attic insulation causing a foul smell and encouraging the growth of harmful bacteria which can lead to an increase in allergies and negatively impact your family’s health. If you know your attic insulation has been destroyed, be sure to find a rodent control services company with the equipment to remove and dispose of contaminated insulation safely. However, if you want to know how to get rid of rats in attic on your own, we have a separate blog for ways you can exterminate rats & decontaminate your attic. 

 

Cleanup And Decontamination

Rodents carry a myriad of dangerous diseases including – hanta virus, hemmorhagic fever, salmonella, rat bite fever and typhus. When looking for a rat control service company be sure to ask about their cleaning and decontamination services too. Especially if you have young children, you’ll want to hire a company that not only helps rid your home of rats, but one that promises effective cleaning and decontamination of all infested areas as well.

 

Rodent Proofing

Extermination services like trapping and poisoning are only a half measure for ridding your home of rats. Rodents breed quickly and any rats you kill or trap are will be quickly replaced by new rodents looking for a home. Rodent proofing is the only way to prevent your home from being reinfested and to put an end to your rodent infestation permanently. Because of this, rodent proofing services are the most important type of service a rat control company can offer. When looking to hire a rat control service company, be sure to hire one with that offers a guarantee with their rodent proofing services and has a history of successful rodent proofing experience.

 

A rodent control service company will do more than come into your home to lay down traps and spray poison. A truly successful rodent control company will be able to put your mind at ease by cleaning and decontaminating infested areas, removing and restoring contaminated insulation, and patching any and all rodent entry points in your home to prevent future infestation.

 

Call Attic Construction

For more information about rat control services, contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

How To Prepare Your Home For Rodent Control Services

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Rat Proofing. No Comments on How To Prepare Your Home For Rodent Control Services

If you’re dealing with a rodent infestation in your home, chances are you’ve already called a professional rodent control service to handle the problem. This is a great first step to fixing your rodent problem. Hiring a professional rodent control service or rodent proofing company, however, is only the beginning. Before the pest control and rodent proofing technicians arrive, ask them if there is anything they recommend you do to prepare for their visit. You’ll want to prep your home as much as possible to ensure your family’s health and safety are protected and to prevent re-infestation.

 

Here are a few ways to help prepare your home before the pest control service technicians arrive:

 

  1. Move Food Into Storage: Rats and mice are attracted to homes by open food, and you’ll want to attract as few new rodents as possible before your home is treated. Common sources of “open” foods that attract rats include things like chips, nuts, pet food and fruit. Be sure that no food is left out and that everything is either stored in heavy duty, airtight containers or placed in the refrigerator. Especially if you’re hiring exterminators who will be using poison in your home, you will want to be sure that nothing is left out that could accidentally be contaminated.
  2. Report All Rodent Access Points: Rodents are master contortionists and are able to squeeze their bodies through holes the size of a quarter. If you’ve noticed any obvious holes in your walls or baseboards, be sure to report them to the rodent proofing technicians when they get to your home. These could be the access points rodents are using to get into your home and they will need to be properly sealed. If you’ve hired a rodent proofing company, their skilled technicians will ensure that all these entry points are professionally sealed in order to prevent reinfestation in your home.
  3. Tell Your Technician Where You’ve Seen Rodents: If you’ve hired an extermination company, letting your pest control technician know where you’ve seen rodents can help them figure out the best locations in your home to place traps or poison. This may also help your rodent control technicians locate additional rodent access points to seal.
  4. Eliminate Any Unnecessary Storage: Before any rodent control service professionals arrive be sure to clean your home and eliminate any unnecessary storage boxes. Doing this allows your technicians easy access to all areas of your home and can help facilitate the process of setting traps, putting out poison and disinfecting infested areas.

 

Failing to properly prepare your home for your rodent control specialists could make the treatment of your home unsafe or inadvertently contribute to your home’s reinfestation, so it is important to follow any and all preparation instructions given to you by your rodent control team. And, if you are unable or uncomfortable completing any preparative task be sure to let your rodent control company know. Most importantly, if you are specifically told not to do something by your rodent control company do not do it. Attempting DIY rodent control is ineffective and can be dangerous to your health.

 

Call Attic Construction

 

For more information about crawl space clean up, rodent control and attic decontamination services, contact Attic Construction today by calling 858-609-8118. Our Phoenix, San Diego and Orange County rodent proofing technicians are happy to answer your questions and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and written report!

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