As you settle into bed and draw up the covers, you switch off the lights. You’re ready to drift into sleep when an unexpected sound grabs your attention. The persistent scratching is coming from within the wall.
Such noises shatter your serene, cozy moment, indicating the presence of an unwelcome guest within your wall. The promise of a peaceful night’s sleep seems distant.
Pests require very little to infiltrate your walls. Even the smallest gap in your home can be inviting. Insects, rodents, and other creatures see these gaps as an open door. They find refuge within your home, using it as a shelter and resource for sustenance.
Unfortunately, these unwanted guests often stay undetected. Their presence becomes noticeable only when disturbing scratching and scrambling noises awaken you. It’s a clear sign that the issue requires immediate attention.
Detecting Pests in Your Walls
Scratching, skittering, or scampering noises suggest the existence of pests within your walls, a surprisingly common occurrence. Homes attract pests, ranging from insects to rodents. They find dark, enclosed spaces particularly inviting, especially during changes in weather or their breeding seasons.
Other sounds to be alert for include squeaking or chirping. Prolonged infestation may also lead to unpleasant odors caused by urine, feces, and, eventually, decomposition.
Are these sounds audible during the day or night?
The timing of these sounds could be key to identifying the type of pests lodged within your walls. Are these noises more prevalent during the day or night? Daytime scratching often signifies a squirrel infestation.
Nocturnal scratching suggests a different set of intruders. It hints at the presence of mice or rats, both of which are mainly active during the night, unlike squirrels. However, this is only a broad indication and may not be entirely accurate.
Why Do Rodents Scratch?
The unsettling scratching noises you hear are indicative of mice or rats actively moving about within your walls. This could involve climbing, crawling, or digging through the cavities and spaces in the wall structure. More worryingly, these sounds also suggest that the rodents are gnawing on crucial elements of your home.
They may chew on your drywall, insulation materials, electrical wires, or plumbing pipes. This destructive behavior stems from a biological necessity. Rodents, such as mice and rats, possess two sets of incisors that grow continuously throughout their lives. To prevent their teeth from overgrowing, they need to engage in constant gnawing activities to grind their incisors down.
The implications of such behavior can be serious and far-reaching. When they chew on drywall and insulation, it can lead to structural damage, compromising the integrity of your walls. If they gnaw on electrical wires, the outcome could be dire. This action could cause short circuits.
These circuits can lead to electrical failures, or worse, house fires. They can also gnaw on water pipes, which can be equally problematic. This could result in leaks or, in severe cases, flooding. The resulting structural damage could lead to substantial repair costs.
Can Rodents Chew Through Walls?
Indeed, numerous creatures, such as rats, possess the capacity to burrow through walls. Various critters like mice, rats, squirrels, and raccoons can breach construction elements including wood, drywall, and plaster.
Once these creatures are inside the walls, they make it their home. They live there, reproduce, and pass waste. Eventually, they die there too.
This entire cycle poses a significant health risk for residents and pets. The additional hazard is the chewing of electrical wires by rats and mice, posing a severe fire threat.
How Do I Get Rid Of Pests In My Walls?
You can coax mice or rats out using food-baited traps. Removal of larger pests typically requires cutting a section of the drywall and employing a catchpole. This task is better left to a wildlife removal professional as these animals may react aggressively when disturbed.
Particularly, attempting to remove raccoons or bats is not advisable and usually necessitates professional intervention. Once you have removed all pests, you still have another crucial task to handle. You must identify their point of entry. Once identified, it’s vital to seal it to prevent a future recurrence.
Why You Shouldn’t Handle This Alone
Attempting to resolve the issue alone can lead to unnecessary complications. For instance, one common mistake is causing irreparable damage to walls or structural studs while trying to reach the pests. This could be far more expensive than simply hiring a professional, like On Demand Pest Control.
On Demand can also provide a thorough solution, ensuring the infestation does not recur. Clearing an infestation without addressing the source could find you dealing with the same issue within a matter of weeks.
