Rodents in The Crawl Space

Do you have a crawl space underneath your home? If so, that space can be a perfect habitat for rats and mice. Let's consider the conditions that attract rodents to your crawl space, some of the ways they get in, and where they go after they find their way in. As always, we'll share some tips to help you address your pest problem. If you'd like professional assistance, contact Getem Services for pest control service in Hampton Roads including Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach.

What attracts a rodent to a crawl space?

In nature, rodents live in small hiding places underneath wood debris and inside ground holes. They also live in logs, stumps, and tree cavities. The conditions they find in nature are also present in most crawl spaces. Therefore, it shouldn't surprise you to find a mouse in your crawl space, particularly if you don't have it encapsulated.

Certain rodents are also attracted to damp environments and live near water sources. They are as happy to live in a damp crawl space as they are a sewer. Needless to say, you definitely don't want these critters in your crawl space.

The conditions that attract rats and mice to your crawl space will also attract other pests. Termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-damaging pests have a close association with soil, moisture, and decaying wood.

How rodents get into your crawl space

There are many ways a rodent might access your crawl space. Once again, we'll refer to crawl spaces that are not encapsulated. An encapsulated space is dry and protected. Here are the common entry points rats and mice use:

• Damaged vents
• Openings around plumbing pipes and PVC conduits
• Entry doors that are not properly sealed
• Cracks in foundation walls
• Gaps around foundation windows or broken windowpanes
• The gap at the base of doors where they touch
• Damaged, and no longer used, pipes that lead to the sewer system
• Holes dug in the soil
• Holes created in decaying wood
• Holes made in building materials

Rodents are resourceful animals with strong teeth and claws, and they can access crawl spaces through surprisingly thin gaps. 

Your crawl space is only the beginning

Once rats or mice find their way into your crawl space, they're not done. They will grow a population and start to explore ways to get up into your home. They're attracted to heat and the smell of food, both of which can lure them up into your floors and walls. They may also get into your floor and wall voids for no other reason than to create a nest in a structural cavity. The voids inside your floors, walls, and ceilings remind rodents of where they nest in natural habitats.

How to get in front of a crawl space pest problem

Rats and mice can create trouble in your crawl space. They chew on wood and other building materials and create holes for other pests to enter your home. There are a few ways to deal with these critters.

• Clear out your crawl space so rodents don't have any hiding places other than the crawl space itself.
• Apply exclusions to seal any potential entry points. Use weatherstripping, sweeps, screen material, and expanding foam.
• Address conditions around your exterior that can attract rodents, such as clutter, wood debris, leaves, bird seed, nuts, fruits, and dense vegetation.
• Clear out the void under your deck. Rats and mice may use that space before they get into your crawl space.

Professional rodent control in Hampton Roads

Of course, if you’ve already detected a rodent problem in your crawl space or elsewhere in your home, it’s best to contact a pest control company. Here at Getem Services, we offer rodent control services that include:

• Application of traps to collect rodents
• Monitoring of rodents to ensure the effectiveness of the trapping program
• Deployment of tamper-resistant bait stations to reduce rodent populations
• Application of professional-grade materials to seal entry points

We also offer moisture control services that address crawl spaces that are magnets for pest activity. Solutions include:

• Crawl space encapsulation
• Installation of dehumidifiers
• Crawl space air conditioning
• Clean-out & sanitation
• Fungus treatment
• And more!

When dealing with rats and mice, it pays to get a comprehensive solution for long-term rodent control. Contact Getem Service if you need help with rodents or your crawl space! Our service professionals have the skills, training, and experience to stop rodent activity, manage rodent populations, and seal rodents out of your crawl space, and more. Request a free quote today!