Crawlspaces and Basements
Inspections in the crawlspace or basement for moisture and water can be crucial to rat control. In many cases, moisture in the these areas is the cause of pest infestations. It could be that fixing issues like we mentioned around the outside might clear this moisture up as well. However, if it doesn’t, we’ll need to figure out why it’s wet down there.
Leaks and Drips
We inspect for wet pipes, drips, damp duct work and/or air leaks from your HVAC (air leaks can transfer moisture from inside the home to the crawl and vice versa). Old metal ductwork without proper mastic sealant and insulating wrap can also cause moisture issues. Next, we need to verify that the dryer vent exhausts OUTSIDE the crawl. Otherwise, it is transferring all the moisture from your clothes to your crawlspace!
Foundation Leaks
Now we must inspect the foundation walls for wet or water-stained areas and cracks/gaps/deteriorated areas. This will pinpoint where any water may be entering the crawlspace from outside and help aid in re-routing watershed around the perimeter of the structure. Sometimes, underground springs are the culprit and those take special skills to re-route. Other times it may be as simple as moving landscape timbers and other products which can act as a dam.
When parts of the landscape act as a dam, water may build up until it finds a point of release. That point of release may be a rodent burrow which leads to the foundation. Now the water has direct access to the foundation! A multitude of other variants come in to play here. We simply try to figure out which ones!
Other Signs of Infestation
While we’re in the crawlspace or basement, inspecting for rats, rat grease stains, droppings, carcasses, nests and typical damages and other signs is important. Finding entry points allowing rats which are outside the crawlspace to enter must be repaired. Entry points from the crawlspace to the living quarters also need repaired. Generally, these are found around plumbing penetrations at sinks, showers, tubs and other drains, pipes or wiring. These fall under the “Shelter” category but are addressed while we inspect for moisture in the crawlspace.
Additionally, other pests such as insects are important as well since rodents eat insects. While these fall under the “Food” category, since we’re already in the crawlspace it’s best to find those at that time. Before we move to the inside, we like to take a look at the surroundings and locate any potential areas of concern away from the structure. We will cover this under “Harborage”.