At Critter Control, we understand that a rodent infestation inside your walls is more than just an annoyance—it’s a serious problem that can compromise your home and your health.
How Do Rodents Get in Walls?
Rodents largely rely on humans for food, water, and shelter. This is why they go to extreme lengths to enter homes, squeezing through cracks as small as a quarter of an inch.
They tear insulation and build nests while bringing ticks, fleas, and mites with them. Rodents in walls are very annoying for many homeowners.
Signs of Rodents inside Wall
- Droppings near food sources, along baseboards, in attics, basements, or appliances.
- Scurrying or squeaking sounds at night
- Gnaw marks on wood
- Chew marks on food packaging
- Rub marks along baseboards and walls
- Unpleasant odors
Problems with Rodents in Walls
Structural Damage
Mice and rats like all rodents have constantly growing incisors, which means they’re always gnawing to keep them trimmed. Your walls provide the perfect material for this. This destructive behavior can lead to:
- Chewed Electrical Wires: This is one of the most dangerous problems. Rodents chewing on electrical wires can strip away insulation, creating exposed wires that are a significant fire hazard. Many house fires are attributed to rodent activity.
- Damaged Insulation: Rodents love to burrow into insulation to create nests. As they shred and tunnel through it, your insulation loses its effectiveness, leading to higher energy bills and reduced comfort. This also makes the insulation a breeding ground for bacteria and odors from their waste.
- Weakened Wood and Drywall: They’ll chew through wooden beams, drywall, and other building materials to create pathways and expand their living space. Over time, this can compromise the structural integrity of your home, leading to costly repairs.
- Contaminated HVAC Systems: Rodents often travel through ductwork, building nests and leaving droppings and urine. This can spread contaminants throughout your home and even cause mechanical failures in your heating and cooling systems.
Health Risks
A rodent infestation poses significant health risks to you and your family.
Disease Transmission
Rodents carry numerous diseases, including Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and Rat-Bite Fever. These can be transmitted through direct contact with rodents, their bites, or by breathing in airborne particles from their urine, droppings, or saliva. The dried waste can become aerosolized when disturbed, leading to serious respiratory illnesses.
Allergens and Asthma Triggers: Rodent dander, urine, and droppings can trigger allergies and asthma symptoms, especially in sensitive individuals.
Parasites: Rodents are often carriers of fleas, ticks, and mites. These parasites can then infest your home and transmit their own set of diseases to both humans and pets, such as Lyme disease or Murine typhus.
How to Identify Rat vs Mouse Droppings
Unsanitary conditions develop soon after rodents move into the walls. The pests’ droppings pile up quickly, creating a musty smell that can linger for weeks.
Rat Droppings: Typically dark brown or black, rat droppings are tapered and measure about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, resembling grains of rice with blunt ends. They are usually found in concentrated areas, indicating high activity. Immediate action is necessary if you find these droppings to prevent an infestation.
Mouse Droppings: Smaller than rat droppings, mouse droppings are about 1/4 inch long with pointed ends and are often scattered. If you find small droppings spread around your house, you likely have a mouse problem.
Homeowners who try to clean up rodent waste should take extreme caution, as contact can lead to Hantavirus, leptospirosis, and other illnesses.
Sounds
While small, rats and mice can make a lot of noise disrupting your home. During the night, rodents in wall voids annoy residents with the rubbing and scratching sounds they make while moving around. They also create loud noises while gnawing wood and drywall, causing unease and possible structural damage. Residents may hear squeaking as well when rodents in the walls communicate with each other.
Odor and Contamination
- Foul Odors: Rodent urine has a distinct, musky, ammonia-like smell that can permeate your walls and home. As droppings accumulate, they also create a lingering, unpleasant odor. If a rodent dies within the wall void, the decaying carcass will produce an extremely strong and persistent odor that can last for weeks.
- Food Contamination: Rodents are constantly seeking food. They’ll chew through food packaging and contaminate stored food items with their droppings, urine, and hair, rendering them unsafe for consumption.
Migration
Mice and rats will stay close to their nest, and wall voids provide safe ways to travel through your entire house. Rodents in the walls often uses structural voids to move from attics or basements into other areas like kitchens and bedrooms. You will hear them scurrying back and forth inside the walls. This is when residents are at the greatest risk from the pests’ waste and parasites.
How We Get Rid of Rodents in the Wall
Dealing with rodents inside your walls is a complex issue that requires professional expertise. They can squeeze through incredibly small openings, making detection and removal challenging. Our four step process identifies the rodents and location of the infestations, institutes a trapping plan for removal and rodent extermination, blocks their entrance to your house, and finally applies rodent remediation to your home.
If you suspect you have a rodent infestation, don’t wait for the problem to escalate. Critter Control specializes in humane and effective rodent removal, ensuring these pests are safely removed and prevented from returning.
The Trouble with DIY Rodent Control
Controlling a rodent population requires an integrated approach. Rats and mice breed at a rapid rate so it takes more than a snap traps in the kitchen usually isn’t enough to get rid of rats and mice. Repellents are usually ineffective. Rats and mice can grow accustomed or simply ignore deterrents like peppermint oil or ultrasonic repellents.
Only needing a gap the size of a quarter, rodents can leave pheromone trails for other rats or mice to follow into your house. An effective rodent control strategy includes trapping, extermination, exclusions, and bait stations.
The Critter Control Difference
Guaranteed Work
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Financing Options Available
Critter Control offers financing options through Rollins Acceptance Group (RAC).
Wildlife Removal in Dallas
How can I tell if I have rodents on my property?
Signs of rodents include noises in the attic or walls, small pellets, damaged food packaging, debris, gnaw marks, or smudges along the wall.
Are rodents dangerous to humans or pets?
Yes, raccoons can be dangerous as they may carry diseases. They can also be aggressive if cornered or threatened.
Can I remove rodents myself?
While DIY removal might seem appealing, it’s safer and more effective to hire professionals. They have the knowledge, tools, and permits required to handle raccoons humanely and in compliance with local laws.
Who should I call for rodent control near you?
Call Critter Control in Dallas-Fort Worth! If you’re dealing with a rats or mice, you should call a professional wildlife control operator and not a pest control company or exterminator. You can reach Critter Control at 214-571-4539.
How can I prevent rats or mice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
Prevention steps include securing trash cans, sealing entry points to attics or crawlspaces, trimming tree branches near the roof, and removing food sources like pet food or birdseed from outdoor areas.