Saint Lucy County, Port St. Lucie Rat Control Situation:
Hi there, I'm glad I found your website, its been pretty informative, and helpful in reassuring me a bit. Ok, so me and my boyfriend just moved into a rental house 2 months ago, and we've been hearing scuttling in the ceiling crawl space, and I've noticed when I turned on the oil heat, that the odor that comes out of the ducts with the heated air smells like dead rats and urine, and every time we had the oil heat on at night, I would wake up with a slight feeling of throat irritation and like my nasal passages hurt, but since the summer we haven't been running the oil, but I dread when winter comes... and the scuttling continues. Well I went up into the crawl space last night, after we had a talk with the property manager, and he assured us he would be out and take a look and fix it, he didn't, anyways, it was easier for me to crawl up, as my boyfriend is 6'3" and would be bent like a hairpin, I suited up as you suggested, latex gloves, full respirator, safety glasses, headlamp, camera and flashlight, even a shower cap to protect from gunk falling on my head. I found extensive evidence of rats or squirrels, poo, tunnels, chewed stuff etc.,. took loads of pics to show to the property manager. From what I've seen and smelt, I am thinking that this will cost the owner of the house a tidy sum to clean up, because I am sure this is very dangerous health-wise to live in, and this type of condition should not be allowed in a rental home or any home. This may sound like a dumb question, but I was wondering how do I convince the owner and property manager this needs to be cleaned up ASAP, professionally. Also how would the rat urine etc. get cleaned out of the ducts in an oil heated home? That seems like it would be tough to do properly and safely. Any advice or info you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Port St. Lucie Rat Control Tip of The Week
Tips To Find And Remove A Dead Rat
Rats sneak into hard-to-reach areas. They sometimes end up dying of hunger, trapped by the walls or the elements of the roof. A foul odor can fill the room after a few days, causing discomfort to occupants and threatening their health. Here are some tips for dealing with this case.
Identify And Dislodge The Remains Of The Rodent.
The smell is the first tool to locate the carcass of a dead rat. Therefore, it is necessary to walk in the concerned area, keeping your nose near the walls, pipes, or the ceiling, for example. The carcass is located where the odor emanates the most. Equipped with gloves and tools like a saw, screwdriver, flashlight, etc., you have to create an opening to remove the carcass. It is important to disinfect the area where the dead rat was found to avoid more serious illnesses.
What To Do With The Carcass?
The law prohibits dumping any animal carcass in waterways, garbage cans, public roads, or any other place. As soon as the dead rat is dislodged, it should be placed in a sealed plastic bag. Only then will it be possible to put it in the trash. However, it is best to burn the remains if possible. Burial is also possible, but there is a minimum of depth to be respected.
