Items rodents tend to chew.
A rodent incisor grows for life, so the animal gnaws without pause to wear it down. The habit harms far more than cereal boxes: insulation, flexible duct, plastic pipe, wire jackets, screens, trim and drywall can all carry bite marks.
- Insulation: flattened, shredded or stained, usually along travel lines.
- Ductwork: torn flexible duct leaks cooled air into the attic.
- Wire jackets: exposed conductors raise a safety risk.
- Screens and vent covers: chewed corners become entrances.
- Wallboard and trim: small holes that widen over time.
Staying safe before any repair.
Chewed wiring can be dangerous. If a wire looks bare, do not touch it. If it is safe to do so, switch off the circuit and phone a licensed electrician. Our role is to document the damage and close the way animals reached it.
Scratching over the bed at one in the morning? The desk is staffed through the night.
Reach us on (888) 686-4821The order of work.
| Stage. | What happens. | Why in this order. |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping. | Remaining animals are removed. | New damage stops. |
| Sealing. | Entries are closed with metal. | Repairs stay intact. |
| Cleanup. | Droppings and soiled material are removed. | Clean surfaces for new material. |
| Repair. | Insulation, duct and screens are replaced. | The final stage on a sealed building. |
Repairing earlier invites fresh chewing and wasted money.
Documenting for an insurer or landlord.
A written plan with photographs helps if you need to explain damage to an insurance agent or a landlord. We cannot say what any policy covers, but clear records show what was found, where and when.
Older and newer buildings.
Nobody here knows how old your building is, and we will not pretend to. Houses of every age can leave gaps where utility lines enter, and wear around doors and vents is a question only an inspection answers. In every case the repair list starts the same way: what was chewed, how animals got in and what has to be closed first.
Before you call: keep the dust down.
Use this list each time pellets, urine stains or torn nesting turn up inside.
- Sweeping and vacuuming dry droppings are off the table, since both fling fine particles toward your lungs.
- After weeks closed, a room needs a half hour of through-draft before any work begins.
- Keep gloves on for the whole job, peel them off carefully and wash your hands afterward.
- Keep applying liquid until nothing looks dry, then step back for a few minutes.
- Put soiled towels and any dead rodent in a plastic bag, moving them with gloves or a tool rather than bare fingers.
- Sickness after a cleanup belongs with a physician, not a pest company, so describe exactly what you touched.
Links to the agencies behind the box.
Open the pages below and compare them with what you have just read.
- EPA page on rodenticide product limits: An explanation of restricted-use rodenticides, and why a few never appear on retail shelves.
- CDC page on preventing hantavirus: Pointers for keeping rodents away from houses, outbuildings and parked vehicles.