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Category: Rat abatement (Page 2 of 2)

Information for developers on rat abatements for demolition. Rodent abatements are now required by Seattle, Shoreline, and Kirkland.

Dealing with Rodent Damaged Insulation in Seattle

Rats in the attic or crawl space are common problems Seattle homeowners know all too well. And as the cold Seattle winter sets in, these pesky critters are in search of a warm cozy place to nest. Don’t let rodents ruin your home. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about rodent damaged insulation and effective pest-control

Replace Vs. Refresh your Rodent Damaged Insulation

In the wild, rodents, be it mice or rats, will seek soft fibers for their nests. And unfortunately, insulation found within our crawl spaces, walls, and attics appear to be their favorite nesting material. As a result, rats and mice can damage the insulation in your home by either collecting insulation fibers for a nest elsewhere or directly making a nest within the insulation itself. 

Effective Rodent Control: Crawl Space and Attic Hygiene

In the wild, rodents, be it mice or rats, will seek soft fibers for their nests. And unfortunately, insulation found within our crawl spaces, walls, and attics appear to be their favorite nesting material. As a result, rats and mice can damage the insulation in your home by either collecting insulation fibers for a nest elsewhere or directly making a nest within the insulation itself. These can gradually lead to long-term problems which can affect both your home and health.

Effective rodent control in your Seattle home is essential when it comes to preventing the spread of disease. The feces and urine produced by rodents accumulate over time, leading to an increased risk of spreading zoonotic diseases. According to the CDC rat infestation guide, rats and mice in Washington spread diseases (viral and bacterial) directly and indirectly. Some of these zoonotic diseases include:

  • Leptospirosis: which spreads through urine and waterways.
  • Hantavirus: is a virus that spreads through rodent urine and feces.
  • Salmonella: A bacteria that spread via the fecal-oral route.
  • Rat-Bite Fever: A bacterial disease that spreads through bites and scratches caused by rats. It can also spread through the oral-fecal route (i.e., consuming food or water contaminated by rats).

Do You Need to Replace Insulation After a Rodent Infestation?

replacing rodent damaged insulation in crawl space, Washington

Rats have damaged the insulation in your beautiful Seattle home. What do you do? Replace, refresh, or remove? We completely understand that removing and replacing insulation from your crawl space and attic is time-consuming and extremely expensive. 

If the damage to the insulation is minimal, then our team at Park Eco Pest Control will choose to refresh the existing insulation material. Now, refreshing existing insulation simply entails that only sections (damaged) insulation are replaced. We only ever completely replace insulation from a crawl space or attic when the damage caused by rodents is extensive due to long-term uncontrolled rodent destruction, or if you’d like to increase the energy efficiency of your home.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Insulation in Seattle

Keeping rodents out of your crawl space, attic, and insulation will require some time and effort. And since these pesky critters pose a risk to human health, we recommend reaching out to a professional pest control service in Seattle for an initial first clean.

When it comes to cleaning and refreshing your damaged insulation, our team at Parker Eco Pest Control will:

  1. Locate and seal up any holes, burrows, vents, and gaps that allow rats and mice to enter your crawl space.
  2. Do some dirty work and safely remove all dead rats and mice from your crawl space or attic. We will even humanely remove any active nest sites present in your attic or crawl space. 
  3. Our Seattle pest-control team will most importantly remove and dispose of all rat feces and droppings present in the attic or crawl space.
  4. Sanitize and disinfect the entire area with an eco-friendly, enzyme-based product that actually eats the organic material left by feces and urine. It leaves behind water and CO2 as an odorless, harmless bi-product. 
  5. Replace the vapor barrier in your crawl space if it’s damaged. 
  6. Finally, depending on the degree of damage and contamination, we will either refresh or replace the insulation.

Attic and Crawl Space Cleaning by Parker Eco Pest Control

rodent control services in seattle

Winter is on its way, and so are the rats! Getting a good rodent control regime is crucial in preventing rats and mice from damaging your insulation. Parker Eco Pest Control provides excellent and professional pest control services all the way from Seattle through to Marysville. So, talk to us today about rodent pest control and crawl space cleaning in Seattle. 

Rat abatement for demolitions: city requirements and FAQs

As rodent populations worsen in King and Snohomish counties, more and more cities are passing rat abatement laws for construction projects. Seattle, Kirkland and Shoreline have passed rules requiring developers to control or eradicate the rodent population when “clearing, grading or demolishing” on a jobsite.

A rodent in a building being demolished

Why do Seattle rat abatement rules exist?

Buildings slated for demolition can be ideal habitats for rodents. Older structures are often full of holes for easy entry. Vacant places have nesting material like insulation, clothing, or furniture. The ideal spot for a rat is close enough to humans that they have access to food (like our garbage) but far enough away that they can nest and breed without being disturbed. That empty house on the block is the perfect hideaway!

When a vacant structure is demolished the rodents explode out into the surrounding neighborhood. Add in the increasing density of King and Snohomish counties and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

How developers comply with the law

If your project will include “clearing, grading or demolition” you must have a pest control professional with a license from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) inspect the property. If evidence of rodent activity is found (droppings, nesting, skeletons, old bait boxes, etc.) you must start an abatement plan at least 15 days prior to beginning work. The plan should extend up to the planned date of demolition. If the inspection reveals no evidence of rodent activity then you’re home free! Just have the pest control company write up a declaration.

Rodent abatement paperwork for Shoreline, Kirkland and Seattle
Paperwork for a rodent abatement plan must be written up by a pest control professional and submitted to the city by the developer

How much do rat abatement plans cost?

Parker Eco Pest Control charges $200 for an inspection. If no activity is found, that’s all you pay.

If we do find evidence of an infestation, the fee is usually $399 (the $200 inspection fee + $199 abatement fee). That can vary with the size of your project. After the plan is complete, we write up the paperwork proving that your property meets the city requirements. You hand the paperwork into the city and proceed with demolition.

What a rodent abatement plan looks like

A lot of pest control companies simply show up and drop bait boxes, then collect a large fee. Parker Eco Pest Control actually conducts an inspection. It’s not uncommon for us to clear a structure as rodent-free during this inspection. We would rather be honest with you and build a long-term relationship than collect a quick buck.

If the inspection uncovers evidence of an infestation we’ll develop a plan for dealing with the problem. This usually requires several visits to monitor activity up until demolition.

  • We conduct an exterior inspection
    to see where they are getting into the structure.
  • We seal up any holes greater than
    ¼ inch with sealants, foam or other materials.
  • We remove anything that might be
    attracting them to the property.
  • We place traps in appropriate
    places.

Have questions about rat abatement before demolitions? Get in touch!  Call 800-ECO-1698 or email Info@ParkerEcoPestControl.com.

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