Well, it’s getting close to that time of year again when you will start hearing more thumps and bumps in your attic. When the nights start to get cooler, rodents will start looking for better accommodations, namely your attic.
While on a termite inspection for a realtor and good friend, Liz McCool of Re/Max Preferred of St Pete Bch, I chanced upon a network of runways that rats created while running about the attic.
You should be looking at a solid wall of insulation but constant rat activity has created a cool little habitrail in the insulation.
This was just a little pocket that was hollowed out, possibly to house their newborn “pups”.
The dark cylindrical on the right is proof positive that rats are in the attic. The dark object is not a Cheeto, it’s rat poop! (Of course it depends on what the rat has been eating, in that case, it may taste like a cheeto.)
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, rats are becoming somewhat more noticable with the coming cooler weather. Rats can cause a whole list of bad things for your heath as well as the health of your home.
Hearing things go bump in the attic? Call us at 727-388-6759
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those those creepy little creatures.
I heard some noise yesterday afternoon and then today a pest control inspector came to my home to do an inspection. He went up to the attic and found some indications of rats/mouse. For example, some holes in the attic insulation. He checked outside of my house also and suggested to seal several gaps. He mentioned there might be only 2-3 rats/mouse in the attic and it seemed like the activity just started recently.
This guy asked for $540 for the rat/mouse treatment plus the gap sealing around the house. Is it too expensive? Is it difficult to deal with the mouse or rats in the attic?
Any suggestions?
Hello and thank you for asking.
My initial concern is the identification of the pest…is it rats and mice, or is it rats or mice. I doubt you have both in your attic if the issue has recently started. The pest inspector should be able to ID the pest quickly by the rodent’s evidence (droppings).
When it comes to pricing rodent jobs (or really any type of pest related issue), there are many variables that one must take into account. Such as:
1. What part of the country that you located are in: I once owned and operated a pest control company in the foothills of North Carolina. During my start up period, I discovered that the prices I charged in St. Petersburg, Florida were seriously too high for NC. I was actually laughed out of a small grocery store when I handed my proposal over. The estimate was very competitive in Florida but not in NC, I quickly learned to adjust my prices for the area.
2. What does the pest control company’s “rat/mouse” treatment consist of: Is he just throwing some rodent bait in the attic and leaving or is he setting numerous rodent traps in the attic and returning every couples of days to check, clean and re-bait the rodent traps until the rats are gone.
3. What kind of guarantee comes with the service: A guarantee is difficult unless the company properly excludes the residence from any and all rodent entry. Thus we get to the “gap sealing” fee…
Is the company sealing the gaps with the proper materials or are they just stuffing a hand full of twisted chicken wire in a rat hole. Ask in depth questions and get it ALL in writing!
If you still feel uneasy about the price, ask for references, check the company out with the state that issued his license (be sure he has a license and is properly insured), ask for photos of “recent” rodent exclusions and most of all and get two more estimates from other pest companies. I prefer local family owned pest companies that have been in business for at least 10 years. Personally after working for two of the largest pest control companies in my earlier years, I would never recommend either one of them…for anything…ever.
As far as the difficulty of dealing with rodents in your attic, for a professional pest control technician, it usually is just another day…we do this all the time. You can treat the problem yourself but in my experience, when someone tells me that they are treating their own problem, I just politely smile, give them business card and ask them to call me when they need me, 9 out of 10 times, they do.
It’s very difficult for me to tell you if what another company charges is too high. I do believe that if you follow my suggestions above, you will get a better understanding of what the pest company offers and its value to you. At Beucher & Son, we explain every step of the trapping/exclusion process, so that the customer has a working understanding of what they are receiving for their money.
Now days, money is very hard to get and even harder to keep…do your homework, get estimates and spend you dollars wisely!
Months ago I heard scratching on the walls. so we called Orkin, they’ve set up traps in the attics. Weeks later it smelled really bad in the closet. I checked the attic and all the poison are gone, droppings all over. mouse tracks and droppings underneath insulation. I’ve already punched holes in my closet and sniffed it. and nothing. The smell seems to be more pungent in the middle of the room as soon as i walk in. i dont know what to do. the smell is killing me.
Hi and thanks for the comment, I almost never throw rodent bait in attics for this very reason. It sounds like a rodent has died in your attic, under the insulation. You may wish to creep around your attic (depending on the accessibility and height) and visually inspect for a rodent carcass. I do not suggest that you move insulation around, depending on the amount of rodent activity in your attic; this action could cause serious health problems.
The problem with throwing the bait is that you may have a few dead rats in the attic, luckily this time of year, the dead bodies should decompose faster and the smell should dissipate faster.
You can try masking the odor with scented candles, oils, etc…until the odor is gone.
If you wish to go to the extreme, you can hire someone who has an IR camera…
The Infra Red Camera will pick up heat differentials. Since the rodent is decomposing, it will be emitting a different heat signature than the immediate surrounding area. Here is a cool link to an IR Camera simulator from the FLIR website:
http://www.flir.com/thermography/tryforfree/english.html
(It does not show any dead rats but you will get the idea of how it works)
A good friend of mine has used one of these gadgets on several occasions and it worked great! The heat signature was not the best but it was locatable.
A few pest control companies in my areas utilize the IR Cameras; you may wish to call around and try to locate a pest control company that has one. Explain to them what the problem is and if they can help you.
If you do not find the dead rodent soon, be prepared for a few large flies cruising about the home for a day or so.
Good luck!
PS: And why did Orkin bait your attic, when they already set out traps? Did they come back to check the traps? If not, you may just have a rat in a trap, which is easily removed and discarded…just throw the whole thing away, rat traps are cheap.
Excellent post but I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more
on this subject? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thank you!