Do you have bumps and thumps in your attic?

Do you hear odd bumps, thumps and scurrying noises in your attic? Most likely you do not have ghosts but a rodent or a family of rodents. The calls all start the same way, says a professional animal control officer. In his blog he talks about the reasons why rodents like rats and squirrels like to live in attics . If you hear noises, you can do a quick walk around your home looking for areas, like the ones shown below, that show animal damage and how they are getting in. The best thing to do before calling a repair specialist is to call your pest control company. If you do not have one try Berrett Pest Control located in Richardson, Texas. The reasons for this is first you need to determine if the noises are truly a rodent and then have the rodent(s) removed. You do not want to trap a rodent in your attic by sealing it's access holes because it will find/create a new way out or possibly get into your home through the ceiling. Once you have removed the threat you can have the necessary repairs made to seal the access holes/points.

The best repairs are rodent proof, such as metal flashing in the trouble spots and then covering this with a concrete fiber board (hard as a rock), as your siding. Copper is a good metal to use (expensive) as most rodents do not like the taste.





Of course the best way is to to limit the rodents access to your roof, by keeping your trees trimmed back at least 8 to 10 feet from the shingles. You can also keep bushes and shrubs trimmed back and not allow them to touch your roof line. This is a good practice, as trees and shrubs can rub the grit off of shingles or damage them at the edge of the roof causing water to drip onto your fascia and cause rot or potential roof leaks. Try to limit access to water or food sources, most likely in the form of pet food left in bowls and water bowls.

Remember that rodents like to chew wire casing, so get rid of them as soon as possible and then seal them out. Have your attic inspected for any wiring damage as most attic fires are caused by faulty wiring.

If you find this helpful, please post a comment or offer up your suggestions that have worked for you.