It is common knowledge how destructive rodents and pests can be. In this article we will focus on the types of damages they cause and how to fix or repair these damages.
Chewed electrical wires
Chewed electrical wires can be extremely dangerous and can even start fires. Some statistics suggest that more than one-fifth of "fires of unknown origin" in the U.S. were most likely started by rodents gnawing on matches or wiring. Fire damage has also resulted from the gnawing of matches collected in the nest.
The gnawing of wires and cables has caused the breakdown of phone systems and short-circuiting, which may result in equipment breakdown or, at worst, very costly fires. Repair and or replacement cost can be considerable!
Holes
Any holes that rodents have crawled through and are unnecessary can be sealed up with a metal flashing. Other sealants can also include mixing together a quick drying patching plaster to be put over the hole and then smoothed over for a nice finish with the hole now safely covered.
For larger holes, you may want to use a woven type of metal hardware cloth that is at least one-fourth of an inch. Fill the holes or opening with foam sealant while the metal cloth covers the top of the hole.
Stained surfaces from urine and droppings
Mice and rats' urine not only leaves behind a smell, but it can also stain the surface where they urinated. To clean up rat urine, use rubber or plastic gloves. Avoid touching the urine with any part of your body and cover your nose and mouth with a dust mask to reduce exposure to airborne contaminants. To clean up the rats' mess, spray a disinfectant or a mix of bleach and water on the area and make sure you get it very wet. Let the infected area soak for about five minutes. After wiping up the area with paper towels, mop the area over with disinfectant. Remember to clean your gloves with disinfectant before taking them off.
If you are not sure how to handle cleaning up a rat's nest, droppings, or urine, call a professional pest control officer.
Air Duct or other insulation piping damage
A rodent can make its way to an air duct, causing damage to the home's entire heating system. If you find that a rodent has chewed its way through the air duct or pipe, you should disable the entire heating system to avoid any urine or feces from circulating in the air in your home, which can cause irritation and even illness. Furthermore, insulation damages can cost upwards of thousands of dollars in only a few years.
Although it's not common for insurance companies to cover rodent damage, you should still check with your home insurance to see if they provide any coverage. If there is no coverage, you will need to replace the damaged air ducts and piping yourself.
Torn insulation in walls and ceilings
Rodents like to tunnel through insulation in your home because that's where they usually like to nest. The same rule for air duct or other piping damages applies here as well.
Although the damage that rats and other rodents cause are not limited to the above, the solutions are similar: find the problem area, figure out what the proper tools are to help you, repair the damage and make sure it is impenetrable the next time a rodent comes near your home.
About the Author
Fran Phalin is a freelance editor and writer specializing in home improvement topics. She is based in Austin, TX.
Fran worked with Anteater Pest for tips on how to handle rodent damage.
If you need assistance with a rodent problem in your home, please contact Anteater Pest Control for professional and quality handling of mice and rodents at http://www.anteaterpestandlawn.com/select_pest.shtml
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
Holes
Torn insulation in walls and ceilings
