How Do Norway Rats Get in the Attic?
While the roof rat may be more common in the top floors of buildings, it's also possible to see Norway rats in attic spaces. These rodents enter homes easily through broken or missing vent screens, cracks, or small holes. A common sign of their presence is gnawing or scratching sounds coming from above.
Attic Behavior
Once inside, Norway rats leave behind copious amounts of droppings and build nests by tearing up paper, boxes, and stored clothes. In addition to providing nesting materials and plenty of hiding places, attics often give rodents access to wall voids and vents, making them the ideal gateway to the rest of the house.
Damage and Dangers
Typical Norway rat behavior leads to damage in the home. Attics are particularly susceptible to the pests' burrowing, which wreaks havoc on insulated structures. Gnawing is another destructive habit. Chewed wires can cause dangerous electrical shorts, while damaged walls, doors, and windows may let in moisture and drafts.
Droppings and Disease
The feces and urine left behind by a Norway rat in an attic could spread harmful diseases. These include Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, leptospirosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and rat bite fever. Because the attic is typically such a confined space, it is dangerously easy to inhale infected particles of waste when dusting or cleaning.
Prevention
Homeowners can use exclusion methods to keep Norway rats out of the attic:
- Repair screens in air vents and damaged ventilation
- Cover the crawl space with a door that fits tightly
- Block gaps in the roof, cap chimneys, and seal entry points for pipes and electrical lines
- Close all other access points larger than one-fourth of an inch
- Use caulking, wire mesh, heavy cloth, copper screening and other materials as appropriate
Get them out.
Keep them out.®
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Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
Because
bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
bat droppings.
Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
She seemed so interested in her craft, it was truly inspiring to see! She reassured me and is writing up a prevention strategy for my appraisal. She charged me NOTHING!! I am so impressed. We need more Madisons in this world!
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Bat Removal
We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
He found evidence of a mice infestation, provided a referral and they are helping us as well. Great service, very informative, very professional! We are very satisfied and would recommend them to anyone who has any issues with any critters!
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