What comes after the animals leave.
When the animals are out and the openings are shut, the damage is what remains. Insulation lies shredded, ducts are torn, screens are chewed through and drywall has holes. Every item costs something to fix, and none repairs itself.
Repair is scoped separately so you can see what each piece costs. You approve what you want, and the order follows risk. Safety items such as chewed wiring lead, with comfort and energy items like insulation and ducts after them.
What rodents commonly wreck.
| Item. | Damage. | Usual response. |
|---|---|---|
| Attic insulation. | Shredded, matted or fouled. | Remove and replace. |
| Flexible ducts. | Chewed or torn, leaking air. | Patch or replace the run. |
| Vent and crawl space screens. | Gnawed through. | New mesh, fitted snugly. |
| Drywall and trim. | Gnawed holes at the edges. | Patch and seal. |
| Wiring. | Insulation stripped, copper showing. | Electrician, flagged by us. |
We photograph each item and note where it is. The pictures help you decide what to fix and give you a record if you ever file a claim.
Why sealing has to come first.
A repaired duct that animals can still reach will be chewed again. For that reason we close the openings and confirm that catches have stopped before repair begins. If that is not done yet, start with exclusion work and trapping.
Where the space is badly soiled, cleanup goes ahead of new insulation. Laying fresh material over contaminated debris throws the investment away.
Damp climates and older buildings.
Steilacoom has a historic district and many houses endure long, wet winters. Old trim, soft wood and past patch jobs can hide damage that did not come from rodents. When we find rot or water damage we say so and point you to the right trade, so you do not pay us to patch something that needs a carpenter.
- Wet or rotted wood near the damage is reported separately.
- Repairs use durable, rodent-resistant materials where practical.
- We state clearly when a repair falls outside our scope.
- Photos and notes are kept for your records.
Found something that sounds like this page? Tell the person who answers, and you will hear what it probably is.
Dial (888) 686-4821Timing the repair.
A repair may wait until the last animal is out and each opening is closed, but it should not wait forever. Exposed wiring and wet insulation worsen over time. Ask on the call which items cannot wait, and those go to the front.
How to treat rodent waste without raising dust
This list restates public CDC advice in everyday language. It is general practice and holds whether or not you ever hire a company.
- Brushing dry waste kicks dust up, so soak it thoroughly before anything else.
- If a garage, shed or attic has been shut for a while, open it and wait about thirty minutes before working inside.
- Rubber gloves while you work and soap and water afterward make up the minimum.
- Disinfect before collecting. Wet the waste, wait roughly five minutes and wipe.
- Collect the towels in a plastic bag, seal it and discard it with the trash. Protect your hands around any carcass.
- Have a physician look at fever, aches or breathing difficulty that follow contact with waste; claims about anyone's health are not ours to make.
Public guidelines behind this advice
Two kinds of sources stand behind this page, one on cleanup and one on poison rules. Both appear below.
- EPA page on rodenticide restrictions: What rodenticide products carry restrictions, and the reasons some are kept off store shelves.
- CDC page on hantavirus prevention: Reducing exposure in houses, sheds and vehicles through practical steps from the CDC's hantavirus page.