Many homeowners believe that home remodeling attracts rodents. This couldn’t be further from the truth, because before the project they were completely oblivious of a rat infestation. Renovations and home improvement projects tend to reveal rat problems because these projects disturb the rats and send them scurrying around in broad daylight.
While these tiny mammals have been having the time of their lives in your basement, a renovation will wreak havoc in their colony and even destroy their nests and cozy breeding places. Rodents in your home is never good news and during remodeling projects these creatures can still do serious damage to new furniture and woodwork.
How Rats Can Ruin Your Home Improvement Project
Structural damage
In a bit to build a new home to replace the previous one, these rats tend to become even more destructive and will chew anything they think will contribute to building their home, be it wires, insulation, floorboards, papers, clothes, etc. Rodents can compromise the structural integrity of a building by sinking their teeth and claws into everything on their path.
A rat will have no second thoughts about burrowing into upholstery furniture and making a nest in it. Once there is a rat infestation in your attic or basement, they’ll chew up all the important things stored up there including valuable paintings. Rats wouldn’t have a moment’s hesitation before chewing up the engineered wood framing your building.
They want easy access to different paths of the house, so they’ll create tiny holes in your walls and floorboards. They can chew through wallboard, soft concrete, and drywall just to get their way in and around your home. These resilient mammals will not only ruin the structural wood products framing your house, but they’ll also create holes which will act as passageways for other small animals like themselves, inviting them into your home.
Fire Hazard
Rodents cause fire hazards by chewing and damaging electrical wiring. These tiny mammals really don’t know when to stop, they have an overwhelming urge to always keep their teeth short and well-filed, so chewing it is.
Rats in your attic will have full access to the electrical wiring in your home, and they’ll chew through insulation and leave wires bare which tremendously increases the risk of sparking and fire hazard. By chewing up insulation and wires, rodents have caused more residential fire outbreaks than you ever thought possible.
Water pipe damage
Rats will also chew on your water pipes. They may create tiny holes in these pipes and cause a leakage problem where drops of water will leak out and seep into your floors and walls. Over time, this will cause a wood-rotting problem and a buildup of toxic molds.
Rodents can chew through the water pipes under the sink, those connecting to your dishwasher, shower, bath, and toilet. The damages rodents do to water pipes will gradually weaken them and subsequently cause clogs or even a burst leading to flooding.
Fixing these damages will no doubt cost you thousands of dollars, which is not even close to what it costs to get rid of rats and maintain a rodent-free home.
What Are the Most Obvious Signs of a Rat Infestation?
Before you start a home improvement project, you may have been oblivious to the presence of rats in your home. Since rats are nocturnal animals and are mostly active at night, you may not notice them during the day. Meanwhile, they’re hiding in your walls and ceilings. The first signs of a rat infestation in your home are;
- Black grain-like pellets in corners and tight places. These are rat droppings, and they’re the first things you’ll likely notice, even before you see or hear a rat.
- Greasy marks on the floorboards or baseboards and around small holes
- A musky or strange foul smell in your cupboards or under the sink.
- Strange squeaking, rustling, or scurrying noises especially at night.
These are all indications of rats in your home, and mind you, there are not to be taken lightly. Besides substantial damage that costs money, rats also carry diseases and can infect humans by tampering with supplies or urinating on surfaces you unconsciously touch.
How to Keep Rodents Out During Home Remodeling
Home improvement projects are known to disturb rats and force them out of their hiding places. Even if you don’t have rats in your building, a remodeling project will certainly attract them, which is why you have to be very careful. And while making plans on how to renovate or reconstruct your home, consult pest control experts alongside architects and engineers, this will save you a whole lot of trouble. According to rat control specialists here, the following are a few tips for keeping rodents out during home remodeling.
- Avoid the urge to drop bits of snacks or scraps of food around the house. Ensure you also clean up after every meal and leave nothing that may attract pests.
- During the installation of doors and windows, ensure they tightly fit the frames leaving no entry space for rodents and other small crawling animals.
- It’s important that you invite rat control experts before you start your home improvement project. Working with them to get rid of rats before and during the project will save you lots of money and stress. Pest control professionals will also ensure your newly remodeled home is rodent and pest-free.
