Santa Clara County, San Jose Rat Control Situation:
First off, love the website. thanks for the resource. Ive had rats for 6 months and have been trapping to get rid of them. After the first 3 months of trapping and 12 rats, i found an open sewer vent in a hidden part of my attic. i fixed that, but im still catching a rat every 2 weeks in snap traps. I sucked all the blown cellulose out of the hip-roof section of my house when i thought they were initially gone, and unfortunately they must now living in the flat roof portion that i cant access (recently added on). The outside of house is tight as a drum. Three rat pros have looked it over and dont see openings. so my question is....can rats be smart enough to live there for the past 3 months and avoid the traps????????? Maybe the rats saved up a lot of food when previous homeowner stored birdseed in attic? maybe they dont come into the hip roof often enough to die on the traps? Either that, or i must have another plumbing issue that i havnt found yet and they are still getting in. id rather think that i just need to be patient, but id like to get your opinion. Going insane, Mark
Hey Dave, Been reading your website and I think your main point is - there's no easy shortcut to mice removal - simple technique and put the effort in. I did purchase an electrical device that plugs into an outlet and emits a pulse through existing electrical wiring - I know, probably a gimmick, but I've heard a lot less scratching in my attic since (shrug). The field mice are still in the attic though - I see the dropping everywhere and I hear some scratching at night - I even see the suckers sometimes when I crack open the attic door. I will try some of your DIY techniques - but I was wondering if you can recommend a pro in the central NJ area? I'm in Los Gatos CA. Thanks! John
hi david, i read your article online and agree with you about exterminators. however what can i do about the mice in my attic. i went to turn on the central ac in my home and mice poop came out of the ceiling registers. i have heard some movement during the middle of the night up in my attic and within my walls. i have trapped some mice in the garage at times and than all is well i thought. my home is a manufactured high ranch. i live in mahopac ny. i also have a cat so i figured that would keep the mice population down because we never see any signs in the living areas or cabinets. what do you recommend i do moving forward. thank you for your help in this matter. if you like i can be reach on my cell phone. ken w
San Jose Rat Control Tip of The Week
Can Rats In An Attic Destroy The Insulation?
If you have rats in your attic, one of the things you need to be concerned about the most is your insulation because these rodents are capable of destroying the insulation of your home. Being the major part of your roof that helps to absorb the heat coming from outside and prevent it from escaping into your home, you can't afford to keep having those rats nesting in your attic.
Maybe you are wondering what the rats in your attic have to do with your insulation to the point of destroying it? Right here, we will be enlightening you on how the activities of rats in your attic can destroy the insulation of your roof.
The first reason why rats will seek out to destroy the insulation in the roof is that the soft material of the insulation is good nesting material. As a result of this, they will continuously tear the insulation, remove the materials, and then use it to build their nest in the attic.
If the rats are not removed from your attic quickly, they will multiply in number and that will increase the rate at which they tear and remove material from the insulation in your roof, leaving the insulation void.
Apart from the physical damages that rats cause to insulation, these rodents use the materials of the insulation as latrines, which usually causes stains on the surface of the insulation. When this accumulates over time, the dusty particles of the feces on the surface of the insulation will begin to escape into your house and begin to cause several airborne diseases.
Having shared this, you need not waste any more time to get rid of the rats in your attic. If you don't swing into action quickly, the damage they can cause will cost you more than you ever expected.
