Rodent populations have continued to increase past the city limits in suburban residences for decades. With food and water being rodents’ survival staples, they have found neighborhoods outside the city limits to be just as accommodating as the inner city.
Why Are Rodents In The Crawlspace So Common In The NW
Crawlspaces are highly attractive for rodents because they provide a safe place to live and reproduce. Since these areas of a home are easy to access due to cracks and holes in the foundation or exterior vents, rodents can easily slip in and make this space their home. When the weather turns cold in the NW rodents will look for a space to keep warm. Most homeowners will never even notice rodents are present in because they never access their crawlspace.
Rodents survive off of food and water and they are not picky. Making camp under your home is easy for them to keep warm and protected from the outside elements. They prefer damp spaces that are close to food like trash cans and find it a bonus when they can use venting and insulation materials in the crawlspace to keep warm and produce their young. Since homes in the NW are commonly built with a crawlspace these pests will gravitate toward these areas. Whereas homes with basements have more foot traffic making them less desirable.
Why You Do Not Want Rodents In Your Crawlspace
Your crawlspace is responsible for over 40 percent of the air that you breathe inside your home. When a crawlspace is filled with dangerous toxins and pathogens due to a rodent infestation you will breathe these in too. Rodents will urinate and defecate all throughout the day within the vents and insulation of your crawlspace. As it builds up your crawlspace becomes toxic and that means your home becomes toxic.
Rodents carry an array of diseases that can be transmitted to humans and pets and most of these pathogens affect humans through their feces and urine. Breathing them in can be dangerous and life-threatening if you are exposed so getting rid of rodents and any contaminated materials is essential in ensuring your home is healthy and safe.
How Much Damage Can Rodents Do To A Crawlspace
In 2020 it was estimated that rodents caused over 19$ billion dollars in U.S homes and businesses. So the answer to the question, how much damage can rodents do to a crawlspace is a lot! Rodents constantly chew on things. Whether it’s to eat food, rip materials for nesting or keep their teeth shaved down, rodents will gnaw and chew on just about anything they can get their teeth on.
Rodents can chew through wood, wires, brick, sheetrock, insulation, plastic, and venting materials among a list of other things! It almost seems as if they can chew through anything.
The scary part about this is that nothing in your home or crawlspace is safe from damage and many of these materials can be costly once they are destroyed. If rodents have destroyed material underneath your home you will need to have these safely removed by a professional rodent control technician.
Signs Of Rodents In Your Crawlspace
If you have rodents in your crawlspace you will most likely start noticing them after they have been there for awhile. Keys signs of rodents include oily trails of urine and feces that they follow to and from their destinations. The use the same trails once they are established so they become very obvious.
Fecal pellets are small with a black brown coloring resembling the size of rice if they are mice or larger in size if they are rats. You may notice holes around the exterior of your home or scratching sounds coming from the walls. Chewing and gnawing sounds can also be heard especially during the nighttime hours as these pests are nocturnal. If they have been around for awhile a pungent smell may start to make its way into the home.
If you suspect rodents in your crawlspace call your local rodent control specialist to come out and inspect your situation. They will be able to determine if you have rodents and how they are getting into your crawlspace as well as get rid of them!
