Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, I came across your website and found it extremely informative. We are in the process of home inspections on a house we want to buy. It is in a great neighborhood at a fair price. The homeowner died recently so there is no one with any knowledge of the home's current condition and history. Yesterday we had the general home inspection and found piles of rat droppings underneath kitchen drawers and under the kitchen sink, dead rats and piles of droppings (I mean tons!) under the house, a two-foot pile of attic insulaton under the house where the rats were carrying it out of the attic via inside the bathroom wall, and depositing it down there. When the inspector opened the attic crawl space door, piles of droppings fell out. The house has a faint bad odor. There are entry holes all over the house. We will be bringing in a rodent expert for an estimate. My question to you is, when is this too much to clean up and disinfect? We have two young children 5y and 7y, and I worry about the residual health impact of the droppings and urine. Can we ever live in this house and not worry about our health? Also, will the clean up cost add thousands of dollars to our home cost? Thank you! I am looking forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Heidi
Kalamazoo Rat Control Tip of The Week
Tips To Find And Remove A Dead Rat
Rats sneak into hard-to-reach areas. They sometimes end up dying of hunger, trapped by the walls or the elements of the roof. A foul odor can fill the room after a few days, causing discomfort to occupants and threatening their health. Here are some tips for dealing with this case.
Identify And Dislodge The Remains Of The Rodent.
The smell is the first tool to locate the carcass of a dead rat. Therefore, it is necessary to walk in the concerned area, keeping your nose near the walls, pipes, or the ceiling, for example. The carcass is located where the odor emanates the most. Equipped with gloves and tools like a saw, screwdriver, flashlight, etc., you have to create an opening to remove the carcass. It is important to disinfect the area where the dead rat was found to avoid more serious illnesses.
What To Do With The Carcass?
The law prohibits dumping any animal carcass in waterways, garbage cans, public roads, or any other place. As soon as the dead rat is dislodged, it should be placed in a sealed plastic bag. Only then will it be possible to put it in the trash. However, it is best to burn the remains if possible. Burial is also possible, but there is a minimum of depth to be respected.