Attic Rodent Infestation? Understand the Health and Damage Risks

One of the most annoying sounds while you’re sleeping at night is the scratching or scurrying sounds of rodents in your attic. While it’s easy to spot the sounds, when it comes to getting rid of these rodents, the task becomes exhausting! And the more you delay rodent control, the more they’ll get the time to –

• Chew up wires, insulation
• Spread harmful bacteria through droppings 
• Cause structural damage to your home
• And more!

So, before they make your attic their personal hideout and permanent shelter, you need to take proper action quickly. But what happens if you stay ignorant? Well, your home and your health will be at risk! And we’ll talk more about such risks in this blog!

Why Rodents Love Attics

The favorite place of rodents is one that has a warm, dry environment, away from human disturbances. And the perfect spot for such an area is your attic! Your attic is a quiet place with insulation and clutter, and that’s what rodents love! This gives them –

• A shelter from the cold or extreme heat.
• Easy access to vents, utility lines, and cracks.
• Insulation to nest in without any problem.
• A silent place to raise their families.

And after they’ve entered your attic, there’s a high chance that they’ll stay there for quite a long time and multiply fast. If you have a single pair of rodents in your attic, they’ll produce dozens of babies in a few months! That’s why it’s important to call for professional pest control to get rid of rodents and prevent an infestation early on!

What Kind of Damage Rodents Usually Cause?

Rodents are dangerous to your home! They’ll chew, claw, and contaminate everything you have in your attic. And if they slowly spread to other parts of your home, things can get worse quite quickly!

1. Wiring: Rodents love to chew on your home’s electrical wires. It helps wear down their teeth, but it can cause fires or power problems for you.
2. Insulation: They rip apart your insulation to build nests, making your home less energy-efficient and leaving a bad smell in your attic.
3. Stored items: If you have boxes or holiday decorations in your attic, expect chewed corners, droppings, and ruined belongings.
4. Structural materials: You might see gnawed wood, torn ductwork, or dirty surfaces, all of which are clear signs that rodents have been busy in your attic.
5. HVAC systems: Rodents can crawl into your ducts and vents, leaving behind droppings, fur, and urine. This not only spreads bad odors but also contaminates the air you breathe.
6. Plumbing and pipes: They sometimes gnaw on plastic or rubber water lines, which can cause leaks, water damage, or even mold growth if you don’t find the issue right away.

Besides damaging your home’s structure and ruining your peace of mind, rodents can also cause several health issues for you and your family! And that’s what we’ll talk about next!

How Rodents Can Harm Your Health

Rodents usually carry a lot of harmful bacteria and viruses, which can spread through droppings, urine, or nesting materials. And this can cause several dangerous diseases for you and everyone in your home, especially children, pets, and elderly people. Some of the bacteria, viruses, and other health issues you’ll notice are – 

• Hantavirus: You can get this from breathing in dust contaminated with rodent droppings or urine. And it can cause serious lung problems.
• Salmonella: When rodents walk on your counters or food, they can spread this bacterium, leading to food poisoning and stomach pain.
• Leptospirosis: This infection spreads through rodent urine and can affect your kidneys or liver if you come into contact with contaminated areas.
• Allergies and asthma: Rodent fur, droppings, and dried waste can trigger allergies or asthma attacks, especially for you or your kids.

If you’re already facing these issues, you need to rely on professional pest inspection for help. And if you want to prevent this from happening, you’ll need to look out for some common symptoms of rodents in your attic!

How to Know if You Have Rodents in Your Attic?

Before the infestation gets out of your hand, you’ll often notice these common symptoms.

• Sounds of scratching or scurrying coming from your walls or attic at night.
• Chewed wires, boxes, or furniture.
• Tiny droppings near walls or in corners.
• Strong, musty smell from rodent urine or nests.
• Greasy marks or dirty tracks on walls and pipes.
• Torn paper, fabric, or insulation used for nests.
• Small holes or gaps around doors, vents, or the roof.

When you see these signs frequently, you need to call for rodent control right away. They can find the area of infestation, use the right tools to remove them safely, and also prevent these tiny creatures from coming back to your attic!

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic

The best way to avoid a problem is to stop it from happening in the first place. And this is true for rodent infestations as well! You can follow these easy preventive measures to stop rodents from entering your attic!

• You can close the small holes and gaps around your pipes, vents, and the roof to prevent the entry of rodents.
• You’ll need to keep branches away from your roof so rodents can’t climb in.
• You’ll have to keep your food, even pet food, away in sealed containers.
• You’ll need to ensure that your attic is clean by clearing out all the boxes and other junk in the space where rodents can hide.
• You’ll need to opt for regular professional inspection of your attic by calling a reputable company for pest control.

When you keep your attic clean and maintain it properly, you’ll not have to worry about rodent infestations anymore!

Other Pests You Might Find in Your Attic

Apart from rodents, you might also find other insects in your attic, like –

• Ants: They can contaminate food and hide in your attic.
• Bed Bugs: You’ll usually find them hiding in cracks and feeding on human blood.
• Cockroaches: You’ll find them feeding on droppings and leftover crumbs.
• Birds: You might notice bird nests in your attic, and they can even attract other pests.
• Fleas: Rodents can attract fleas in your attic, and getting rid of them can be quite exhausting! 
• Moth: If you have any stored clothing or fabric in your attic, moths can damage them easily.
• Spiders: You might also find webs of spiders in quiet corners of your attic!

You can get rid of all these pests by taking help from a professional service provider for pest control.

Common Questions You Might Have About Rodents in Your Attic!

1. Can rodents damage an indoor AC unit?

Absolutely! Rodents can chew wires and insulation in an indoor AC unit. And this can cause malfunctions or short circuits in your AC.

2. Do rodents prefer certain attic insulation types?

Yes, they often choose fluffy or loose-fill insulation because it’s easy to nest in.

3. Can rodents survive freezing attic temperatures?

Yes! Rodents can survive in cold temperatures by hiding in insulation or near warm vents.

Takeaway

Rodents can make your attic a cozy spot for their shelter! And they can slowly spread viral diseases, cause asthma, allergies, and even damage your home’s structure, HVACS, insulation, wiring, and more. 

That’s why it’s important to keep an eye out for their common symptoms and call for professional help for rodent control. This way, you can protect your home, stop rodent infestations early on, and also keep them from coming back!

Read More About:

• Effective Rodent Management: Find, Prevent, and Eliminate
• Who is responsible for pest control: landlords or tenants?
• The Worst Pests for Your Home and How They Cause Damage

Finley Pest Control – Trusted Rodent & Pest Solutions in Sacramento

Living with pests, like spiders, ants, and rodents, in your home is not something anybody wants. So, Finley Pest Control is here to protect your home and ensure your peace of mind by providing reliable pest control in Sacramento! 

We offer affordable and honest pricing, fast and custom pest plans to ensure your home remains pest-free for a long time. We have 10 years of experience in the industry. So, you can always trust our licensed pros for rodent control in Sacramento! 

You can give us a call now at (916) 741- 2847.