Get Rid of Rodents Today!
We get rid of rats and mice from commercial & residential properties in a way that is completely different than your typical pest control company. Our goal is to solve the problem not treat it.
The average response from a pest control company is to put out poison. Poison does work well but it doesn’t by itself actually solve the problem it only treats the symptoms of the real issue. The real rodent problem is the entry point, if you can cut that off your going to actually stop the rodents.
Rat poison as I said does work, especially as an exterior preventative. If you need to apply poisons please call an exterminator, but don’t beleive the old myth that they will go outside looking for water because yes it works and yes they do die in the attic sometimes.
The best Solution to rat & mouse problems
The best solution is to inspect the property for cracks, crevices, and small openings around the ground level and at the roof line, find them and seal them up.
The next step is to trap and remove what ever rodents are still in the attic, or walls. Then get an exterminator to place bait stations on the outside perimeter to keep any invading rodents at bay.
Trap, repair & bait is a great method that almost guarantees success every time. There are exceptions to this rule, as in the case of buildings in the french quarter that are very old and connected one to the other. Condos that share the same roof line are also buildings that are very difficult to completely seal. The main reason is that there are multiple owners and many times not everyone is on-board, especially those who do not have a problem directly.
Locating a dead rodent smell
Locating the source of a bad dead animal smell in a house or building can be difficult but we have a good history of solving this type of problem. I like to split up the smelliest room into 2 parts to start off, I close my eyes and try to figure out where the smell is the strongest, then I open my eyes and try to figure out how the smell through the natural air-flow of the room can get from the wall, floor, or ceiling into the living space.
Then I will go outside, especially in the case of a raised house and see if there are flies or an odor out there. Next, I will go into the attic and do the same thing.
By dividing up the space, and studying the way the house breathes I can usually find the source of the odor.
Bad Smell that are not dead animals
When it comes to a dead animal smell, sometimes it always actually a dead animal! Here are things that smell bad but were not actually dead animals. Yes, these are real examples!
Bad Dead Animal Smell in the Kitchen
Rotting meat in the trash can. Yes, rotting meat does smell like a dead animal because it is really just that. If the smell is in the kitchen, check the can.
Another source of really bad dead animal smells is the refrigerator. If the power goes out for a awhile, the freezer will drain into a small little pan in the rear of the fridge. This pan can smell awful. If the smell is in the kitchen and by the fridge, check the back of the unit at the base. This can apply to wine refrigerators too!
Bad Dead Animal Smell in the Laundry Room
Rodent can and do die in the dryer exhaust vent. They often collect the lint for nesting materials. If you see rodent poop on the floor behind the washer & dryer or the dryer vent flexible tubing is full of droppings, you might have a DOA and be in need of some repairs.
On the other hand if there are no droppings present and there is an awful smell check the utility sink. A good sign that a plumbing problem is the real culprit is that the drains barely work or not at all. You could for instance have a mouse or a bird that has fallen down the vent stack pipe blocking the air flow disrupting the normal drain operation, which could allow sewer gases to back up into the house.
Furthermore, not using the utility sink for months can allow the water to evaporate out of the pipes also allowing sewer gases to enter the house.
I guess the one other thing we have seen that smelled but was not actually a dead animal was finding a diaper in a place where it shouldn’t have been!
If you want to save money and do it yourself, follow my advice. If you want me to come out and figure it out for you just give me a call. With about 20 years experience locating dead animals, I am sure I can solve it!
Rodent Trapping Techniques and Methods
People ask me how we do it. We use a time tested and proven method to get rid of rodents. We use traps, we seal the entry points, and we recommend preventative measures on the exterior for ongoing success.
One of the ways we test to see if we got them all is to put out what we call a monitoring station. Basically, this is a black bag laid out flat with bait in the middle of a circle of baby powder. This allows us to not only see the footprints for activity but to also identify the culprit. We use this same technique for snake control as well just without the bait in the middle. Check out our snake page for information about that.
Below is a picture of a monitoring station on an actual job.
Below are before and after photos of how a rat gets into a roof line. We use metal secured to the roof to prevent entry. It isn’t a picture perfect repair, but it works to solve the problem!
There are really a lot of different ways a mouse or a rat can find their way into a house. Like I said earlier, we have experience finding these points of entry. A roofer does not, even a good roofer. Remember, a roofer thinks in terms of watershed, and making sure your roof will not leak. While I am not a roofer, I do get up on a roof almost everyday. If you are tired of treating the problem and are ready to solve it for good give us a call!
