Have you been hearing scratching noises, but can’t figure out where they’re coming from? Though the thought of it may leave you squirming, there could be rodents in your walls. Different types of rodents are known to make their way into homes and post up inside the walls where it’s dark and quiet. Keep reading to find out how rodents get inside the walls of your home and what you can do about it.
How Do Rodents Get Inside My Walls?
Small rodents have no trouble getting inside through gaps in windows, doors, and siding of homes. Rats and mice are excellent climbers, so they tend to climb up drain pipes or across tree branches and enter your home through the attic.
Because the attic is a common entry point for rodents, it’s easy for them to climb down into the walls of your home and set up a nest where it’s warm and away from human activity. Once they’ve accessed the attic, the rodents will likely be making their way around all of the walls in your home, passing through the attic frequently as they explore.
How Do I Know if There Are Rodents in My Walls?
A clear sign of rodents in your walls is if you see or smell any rodents anywhere in the home. If you happen to see one of these pests inside your home, it’s worth investigating to determine whether there are more of them hiding. Or, if you smell something rotten inside your home but can’t determine where it’s coming from, one possibility is that rodents have died in your walls. The smell of a dead rodent in the wall is pretty specific, usually smelling quite rancid, sometimes like rotten cabbage. The smell will usually last for a few weeks if left unaddressed.
However, if rodents are still alive and active in your walls, you may have to tune into other clues. The sound of scurrying, running, or soft footsteps echoing through your house when no one is awake may be rodents on the hunt for some food. Gnaw marks in ducts, packages, insulation, or furniture may be an indication of mice or rats trying to find materials for their nests. Other visible evidence could include piles of droppings, nests, or dirty track marks along baseboards made by mice and rats rubbing their bodies against them.
How To Prevent Rodents in Your Walls
To prevent an infestation in your walls before it begins, be sure to keep your home tidy and free of crumbs. Also secure any openings to your home such as those in the foundation, doors, or windows. Small rodents can easily sneak inside through these gaps.
In your yard and around your home, move possible nesting locations away from your house. This includes woodpiles, garbage cans, compost piles, or untrimmed bushes. Make sure any tree branches are also trimmed so they’re not right up against the exterior of your house, otherwise they might provide easy access into your home.
How To Get Rid of Rodents in Your Walls
If you’re serious about getting the rodents out of your walls, the first step is sealing all possible entry points, otherwise the problem will never truly go away. Then, you’ll need to set up traps in your attic to catch the rodents as they travel through.
With enough patience and consistency, you may be able to resolve the problem on your own. However, without training, it’s difficult to tell whether the mice or rats are truly gone. To be 100% sure, the best idea is to contact a professional pest control company.
Get Rid of Rats in Your Walls With Las Vegas Pest Control
At Las Vegas Pest Control, our experts can quickly diagnose any pest issue and apply professional treatment to take care of the problem for good. Our highly-trained pest control specialists are able to identify signs of rodents in your walls and take action to make sure you’ll never hear from them again.
Contact us today for all of your pest removal questions or to get a free estimate on any of our services!
