Critters in the Attic: How do They Get There?

Critters in the Attic? Time to Kick Them Out!

You keep your home clean. You're downright adamant about it. There's a place for everything and everything it its place. Then you notice something seems awry. Here's the question: Do I have critters in the attic? How did they get there?Maybe you can't put your finger on it at first. Maybe you hear a thump on the roof. At least, you hope it was on the roof and not in the attic. Perhaps you notice an air vent stops blowing cool air. You catch a whiff of something weird. Your dog acts funny. Your spouse insists something is in the house. You think she or he is crazy or hearing ghosts.What is going on? Here's a little bedtime story. You go to sleep, satisfied that all is right with the world, or at least in your home. Outside, a roof rat is walking down the fence line and notices some acorns or fruit in your yard. It scampers in for a bite. It climbs a fruit or nut tree for more.Now, this species is nicknamed "roof rat" for a reason. Crawling along, it sees a nice little gap, maybe by a soffit or a vent. When seeking shelter, rats can easily flatten their bodies to slip into spaces. They also chew their way inside buildings.

Gateway Animals

Because rats tend to go in first, we call them "gateway animals" when it comes to pest control.Well, Mr. Squirrel sees what the rat just pulled off and he wants in too! Squirrels like bigger holes so they can peer through before moving about, so the squirrels make the rats' hole bigger. Yes, plural rats and squirrels.Now, a raccoon is makings its nighttime rounds and spots a rat on the roof going into the attic. Yippee! That's dinner for the raccoon. She's going in too! Our raccoon now has shelter, food and perhaps water from the air conditioning drip pan. Why would she ever leave this lap of luxury?! Breeding season comes along and she goes into heat, which attracts a male raccoon to the attic party. After mating, the female will give the male the boot. This argument is noisy and the homeowner might wake up to the sound. Or, think they had a really weird dream. Then the attic might get quiet for a few months until the raccoon babies are born and start making noise. Again, people might think they're just hearing things.

Denial is a Common Trait for Humans

The inside of your home might just be pristine. After all, you don't want roaches or any critters hanging out. You put out the garbage regularly and make sure it is in bins with sealed lids. You regularly clean and keep the house sealed to keep clean, cool air in and everything else out. There is no possible way you have rats. Anyone who says so must be out of his or her mind.But reflect on the bedtime story. The critters are in the attic enjoying themselves and likely have no need to come down to the first floor. This problem is actually common, but nobody wants to tell anyone that this has happened at their house, so it is not likely you are going to hear about it from a friend or neighbor.

How do critters get into the attic?

What can you do to prevent this? Make sure the A/C system is properly maintained. A leak overwhelming the drip pan means animals outside will be attracted to the smell of the water collecting, even a couple of inches. Seriously. It does not take much for these animals to detect a water supply.Also, if the A/C vents are not flowing, it's possible animals in the attic are ripping holes in the duct work to get some of that A/C for themselves and get better climate control in their swanky attic home.If you see what you think is a little water stain in or near the ceiling, it could be something else leaking down from the attic space. Or you go up to the attic to put away seasonal decorations and notice crawfish shells in some nook or cranny. How'd that get there? Please call us to ask for an inspection.After all, homes with fruit-bearing trees, be sure to pick up any fruit that falls into the yard. Don't leave it there to rot. Go ahead and harvest the fruit. For example, you can find all sorts of recipes for Meyer lemons on Pinterest.

Avoid DIY Home Remedies

First and foremost, do not just use Pinterest to find DIY pest control remedies. If a little cider vinegar or sprinkles of Borax powder could resolve a pest infestation or get rid of a rats' nest, then there would be no pest control business. Think about it.Professional pest control operators have the training, expertise and equipment to safely remove the animals and clean up the space afterward. We also can perform improvements to keep these critters from returning, or showing up inside in the first place. That service is called exclusion.We take a holistic approach to pest control. That's why we are named All Solutions All Pests. Asap Operators does not judge and we won't make a big fuss about this. Our team will provide preventative maintenance and give you peace of mind.