Category: Rats and Mice

What to Do About Rodents in Attic Spaces

Have you ever been sitting on the couch and suddenly hear a pitter-patter coming from above the ceiling? Unless it just happens to be Christmas Eve, it’s probably not Santa Claus. It could mean some very bad tidings indeed. Because especially here in the warm Central Florida area, rodents in attic and crawl spaces are a real nuisance.

But why are they such an issue, how can we identify them, and how do we prevent it in the future? Let’s discuss the reasons, with all of their pesky, hairy little details.

Little Critters, Big Problems

At first, having rodents in attics or crawl spaces may not seem like a big deal. After all, it’s pretty empty up there; as long as they stay up there, they won’t be an issue down here, right? Not so fast!

An undiagnosed rodent infestation can quickly go from a few mice or squirrels seeking shelter and a family of rodents taking over the upper half of your house. Rodents often bring with them harmful diseases that can infect you and your children. They chew on your trusses, walls, and insulation. They can even chew your electrical wiring, which could ruin appliances and your entire electrical system in your home.

How to Identify Rodents in Attic Space

We’ve already discussed the easiest way to detect rodents in attic spaces: hearing them scamper across the floor. But there are many other ways to identify rodent problems, even without seeing one.

  • Rodents often form nests out of scraps, like newspaper and insulation.
  • They will leave droppings and urinate throughout your attic.
  • Check for chewing marks on the trusses, rafters, floorboards, pipes, and any other wooden members in your attic.
  • Look for swing marks or Sebum (an oily residue from their body).

These are clear signs of a rodent infestation, and immediate action is needed.

How to Prevent it

Keep an eye peeled for any holes and gaps that rodents could squeeze through, and be sure to patch them. A hole the size 6mm is enough for a mouse to squeeze through and a hole the size of 12mm is enough for a rat to squeeze through. Perhaps tidy up the attic so that there are not so many cozy nooks for them to burrow inside. And if you see any loose crumbs of food around the immediate area, make sure to clean those up as well.

Dealing with Rodents in Attic Spaces?

Dealing with rodents in your home is such a pesky problem to have, but it’s our specialty to resolve it. If you’re having rodent problems in your home, contact us today so you can go back to having pest-free, carefree peace of mind.

IDEAL Rodent Control

With all of the new construction taking place in Central Florida, plus the fact that everyone has been quarantined at home due to the Pandemic, we here at Ideal Pest Solutions have seen a surge in Rodent problems all around Central Florida. Below are some helpful tips to keep in mind if you think you are in need of rodent control services. Or if you want to save yourself some reading go ahead and call me now to schedule a FREE Inspection(407) 864-3325.

  1. Orlando has two types of Rat populations: the Roof Rat and the Norway Rat
  2. 90% of rodent problems come from above (attic and roof entry)
  3. Barrel tile roofs are the worst in the world for controlling rodents
  4. Every house is different, but typically a smaller home will see results much quicker. The bigger the location the longer it takes. That is why we create a custom strategy and plan of attack for every location we visit. 
  5. Mice are quickly and easily controlled compared to rats… We will be able to verify your rodent control situation during the FREE Inspection
  6. Always use a licensed professional when applying rodent control applications. The main cause of the spread of rodenticide is due to homeowners freely throwing these dangerous chemicals around their home without proper knowledge of the harmful effects they can have on you and your family 

The IDEAL Process

  1. We start with a FREE Inspection to see what is going on
  2. We inform YOU the customer our plan, strategy, and timeline to take control of this issue
  3. Then we schedule the Exclusion work- close up holes and access points to stop the activity
  4. Followed by setting up spring traps in the attic- to catch, remove, and reduce population
  5. Finally, we schedule regular follow-ups to come and extract any additional vermin that get caught in the traps
  6. Afterward, we recommend our Baiting Program to stop the spread around the perimeter of your location
  7. BONUS- If you join our Baiting Program, we guarantee our work for ONE year and will come back to handle any rodent concern at no additional cost!

Why Choose IDEAL

  • Over 39 years of Industry experience 
  • State Certified Pest Control Provider
  • None of our Pest Techs work off of sales commission 
  • We provide a strategy and plan for every home
  • And we provide long term prognosis of treatment 

Schedule FREE Inspection

A Message to Our Customers During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Though much uncertainty still exists about the COVID-19 coronavirus, Ideal Pest Solutions will remain fully operational at this time. The importance of our industry to the health and welfare of Central Florida is of utmost importance. The Department of Homeland Security has issued its latest memorandum declaring exterminators an essential service. As we continue to service all of our Residential and Commercial clients, we will be taking extra precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Here are the steps we are taking.


Ideal Pest Solutions will:

  • Continue to perform pest control service. Our services are available for routine service requests as well as on-call visits. 
  • Instruct employees who may feel symptomatic of the coronavirus to stay home or work from home until they are well.
  • Use hand sanitizer and/or wash our hands frequently through the work day. 
  • Wear gloves, work mask, and hand protection during service calls.
  • Clean the insides of our fleet trucks every day.
  • Continue to practice social distancing. We kindly ask that our customers do so as well.

Here’s how you can help:

  • Please practice social distancing with our employees for in-home/in-office treatments. Some of our clients already prefer to relocate outside during treatments. 
  • Consider transitioning to paperless billing, invoicing and work orders. We can email these as well as any additional leave-behinds for your safety and convenience.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. This is a truly difficult time, but we are in this together. And we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional pest control services to all of our clients.