When Rodents Nest in Your Insulation

Insulation is arguably the best defense against the changing temperatures that come with a new season. However, it can also be used by rodents to make themselves feel right at home in your own house. A rodent infestation will not only make the insulation less effective but also cause other problems for you and your family.

It Starts With a Nest

All rodent infestations have small beginnings, such as a nest in the attic or other warm areas in the house, before hoards of them join the party. You’ll notice droppings and urine near rodent nests and then eventually a variation in the temperature of the room where they’ve built their nest.

When it comes to damaging your insulation, rodents do it in one of two ways. They’ll either chew on and carry off insulation material to build a nest somewhere in the house or they’ll build a nest right between the insulation and the floorboards.

The Costs of Delay

Sometimes you might feel it’s easier to accept the small variation in temperatures, especially if it is still bearable, so you ignore the infestation but this will only last for some time. 

Eventually, the rodents will manage to remove all the insulation in your house, as well as gnaw on electrical wiring, plumbing and other structural components of your home. The constant gnawing at electrical wires—one of rodents’ favorite pastimes—will remove the protective layer around them, which will put your house at serious risk of a fire.

After the whole insulation system is destroyed, it will need to be replaced. This will mean an unnecessary and additional burden on your pocket that is a direct result of delay. In addition to the loss of several thousand dollars due to insulation damage, you’ll also have to deal with the added annual costs (electricity, etc.) due to energy lost from damaged insulation and risk getting diseases transmitted by rodents to your family and pets. 

So if you think that repairs and removal of the nest is too much trouble, think again. 

Prevention Is the Most Cost-Effective Solution

If you don’t want the hassle of getting rid of the infestation, the best way to go about it is to make sure it doesn’t happen in the first place. Rats enter your house through the attic and the small gaps in the walls. Closing all these gaps should go a long way in ensuring a rodent-free home.

After you close all the entry points, you can clear out the rodents that are already inside the house by using traps. The trappings should ideally continue for at least a week to make sure there aren’t any rodents left. 

If you’re doing this by yourself, make sure you wear rubber or latex gloves, especially when you’re removing rat droppings and urine. You have to spray the area with a disinfectant to avoid the spread of any diseases. If this feels like too much work, you can always call a professional to do the job for you.