How Do Roof Rats Get Into Wall Voids?
Roof rats are not as widespread as Norway rats and, therefore, not as well-known. The peculiar pests are prevalent in Florida because they prefer warm climates and often feed on and live in fruit trees. They're also extremely agile climbers and are generally found nesting high off the ground.
People regularly spot the pests building nests on roofs and in ivy clinging to the sides of buildings. The animals also won't hesitate to move indoors if the opportunity arises.
Walls are a favorite nesting spot for roof rats. But how in the world do they get in? Sometimes they can slip in cracks, but they can also create their own entry points as well. You’d be surprised by the strength of their jaws and teeth.
Because of their constant gnawing and powerful bites, rats can chew through almost anything: wood, drywall, brick, concrete, aluminum, sheetrock, and more. When motivated, a rat can almost certainly make its way into your home using its powerful jaws.
As rodents, rats have teeth which are constantly growing. In fact, rat teeth grow about 1.4 mm per day. This means that they must constantly gnaw on materials to grind their teeth down, to prevent them from growing into their skulls. This makes almost any hard material in your house fair game as a rat-chewing object.
Not only are rats incessant gnawers and biters, they are extremely powerful for their small size. Though exact figures are hard to pin down, rats have an incredibly high bite pressure considering their size. Most people measure that rat bites exert more force per square inch than alligators and sharks.
Problems Caused by Roof Rats in Walls
Roof rats, like most rodents, are dirty and carry diseases. In fact, the pests are notorious for spreading the plague. Additionally, roof rats in the walls will make scratching and squeaking noises as they scuttle around. Since they're primarily active at night, this behavior often disturbs sleeping residents.
Furthermore, roof rats searching for food and water may travel through wall voids into kitchens. Between their greasy fur and frequent urination, the pests contaminate large amounts of stored goods in no time at all.
Getting Rid of Roof Rats
One of the best ways to avoid problems with roof rats in walls is to patch up roof shingles. Replacing damaged vents and capping chimneys will also limit their ability to enter homes. When roof rats infest the walls or house, homeowners should contact the pest professionals at Critter Control for roof rat removal.
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Customer Reviews
It has been very effective at reducing the number of mice, lizard, and snake sightings. During one visit Edgar removed a rattlesnake he came across. We may see a snake maybe two to three times during the spring and summer months, but it has been far less than before.
Serivces:
Wildlife & Rodent Control in San Diego
Full service. Excellent job of extracting raccoon, cleaning all animal waste, sanitizing, and spraying anti-parasitic substance. They closed all potential ports of entry, though the work did not match the vinyl, and it looks kind of tacky. They added blown insulation, which added a lot to the cost. They provide a one year warranty against animal intrusion, with an option to extend the warranty at the end of each one- year period. They were willing to work with me one the price. I will probably extend my warranty, and will definitely use them it the future.
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Chattanooga
I was really impressed by these guys. Got a call within a few hours of making an inquiry. Had a rep out to inspect the situation by the end of the week, and when they laid out the timeline they kept if not exceeded listed times.
Rob, Travis, and Jim were all professional, polite, and courteous and after months of hearing squirrels in my ceiling they are gone and the repair to my flashing looks excellent. Can't recommend these guys enough.
Jeff was incredibly professional and helpful. I'll use them again and would recommend them to anyone.
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Detroit, MI
Critter Control did a great job of evaluating our house for sites of entry after we found bats and a squirrel in our attic. They completed their work promptly and professionally.
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Seattle, WA
We heard some noise from the corner of our house. Concerned that it could be inside we called for an inspection. Jessy arrived as scheduled and conducted a complete inspection of our home. Based on a recording we made he determined we had a tree frog on our roof. I was pleased that we didn’t have any rodent in our house. And his inspection could a few spots I can tighten up around my house. I am very happy with the outcome.
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New Hampshire
We have a vacation home in
Western Mass and haven’t been there much during the pandemic as we live and work in Atlanta, GA. On our most recent visit we noticed that we had some rodent intrusion as well as some un-welcomed wildlife who decided to make our vacation home their home.
We contacted Critter Control and Mr. Cahoon was quick to set up an appointment as we wouldn’t be in town very long. He came out and assessed our issues. He informed us of our options to both eradicate and control future intrusions. Keeping in mind that wildlife is wildlife! He quickly got to work eradicating the rodents and wildlife from our home and addressing the intrusion issues. We feel much better leaving our vacation home for periods at a time knowing that Mr. Cahoon and Critter Control did their job and did it right! Thanks again!
We bought an old cabin last spring , it was used for years as a summer vacation cabin, therefore maintenance wasn’t a priority. After our project to remodel started, we found evidence of
mice droppings.
We immediately called Critter Control and they came and gave us a reasonable estimate to remove all remnants and insulation. They sanitized and replaced with new insulation and sealing up points of entry .
Seeing their professional work made us feel confident and secure that the problem was solved ! Everyone we worked with continued to show professional and respectful work. Highly recommend this company! We continue to use critter control monthly to be sure we are mice and bug free!
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