Hamilton County, Cincinnati Rat Control Situation:
Thanks for your helpful information on your website. In our situation, we have some sort of rodent(s) between the ceiling of the first floor of the house and the floorboards of the upstairs. At night, we definitely hear scurrying above us when we're in bed on the first floor. Because that space is not connected to the attic, nor is it a drop ceiling, it's impossible for us to access without cutting holes in our ceiling. We have tried to do a very thorough check around the exterior of the home, but we're not sure where they might be coming in. Thus, we have no idea where to set traps. Every time I call out our Terminix guy, he just puts out a little rat bait in a few random areas around the exterior of the house (we don't have pets or small children) and says we'll hope for the best. So far, no luck, as we still hear them almost nightly. We have absolutely no signs of rodents on the interior of the house, such as in the kitchen, so we're assuming that they must be traveling through the wall space and outside to get food. Is that a reasonable assumption? We have also checked the attic (which is above the second floor) and there's no sign of them there. Do you have any suggestions for what type of service we might be able to call who could actually help us with this problem since Terminix doesn't seem to have any answers? Thanks so much for any help you may be able to give us.
Hi David, I have a rat in my apartment!! I liv e in Cincinnati OH. I noticed the rat early last Sunday morning after Ieft a pizza box on the floor. I heard the rat trying to get in the box. First, I tried glue boards, which failed. Then I tried 2 black cat brand snap traps & the rat just ate the bait w/o tripping the trap. I am now using the Victor wooden rat trap w/ the yellow, plastic plate where the bait goes. The rat keeps licking the peanut butter off w/o tripping the trap. An exterminator came & reset the traps, but still nothing. Maintenance came & put steel wool in the two holes they found. This rat is smart & keeps eating the bait w/o tripping the trap. The exterminator said it's definitely a rat b/c of the droppings he saw, which were only by the sliding glass door to the patio. There are no signs of the rat any where else. I'm running out of patience! I'm terrified to say the least & I haven't had a restful sleep in more than 7 days. Please help! Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Cincinnati Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Does Homeowners Insurance Not Usually Pay For Damage Caused By Rats?
Unlike harm caused by other pests (for example termites), home damage caused by rats and mice are commonly not covered under the arrangements of a standard homeowner's insurance policy. This is because it is a preventable misfortune that could have been avoided, using appropriate pest maintenance.
That being the situation, it's ideal to stop the issue from really developing once you recognize any indications of rodent infestations:- A single rat sighting (generally implies there are more)
- Rat droppings
- Hearing scurrying through the dividers
- Chewed through food boxes
- Chewed up wires
- Rodent homes
- Dirty or oily rat tracks on the floor or dividers
Harm to your home or different structures from insects, rodents (for instance, rats, mice, squirrels, and chipmunks) or flying creatures, is normally not covered by a standard homeowner's policy (albeit a window broken by a fledgling might be an exception). Animal invasions and harm from animal waste or secretions are generally excluded from a homeowner's policy. Should an opossum (or some other animal) enter your home, homeowner's insurance policies won't pay for expulsion, cleanup, or fixes to any harm it causes or leaves behind.
Remember that the homeowner's insurance policy does not provide coverage for harm done to your property, brought about by pets or other domestic animals, such as a pig, cow, or chicken. If your dog bites his way through a door, your insurance agency, no doubt, won't cover the cost of replacement.
Not only is a rodent infestation an indisputable hazard to your health - the spread of disease, aggravation of allergy symptoms, etc. - but mice or rats can chew up your electrical wiring and cause house fires. While a home fire may, by chance, be one thing you are covered for as regards to a rodent invasion, you will need to get to the root of the issue before such a dangerous event occurs!