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We have what others have referred to as roof rats that come and go into the subfloor space between our 1st and 2nd floors. Very little to no recent evidence of them in the attic, and quite literally no evidence within the house whatsoever.

Steps we’ve taken over the last 2.5 years:

  • I have had probably 10 different pest companies come to assess the house and do seal work. We have spent nearly $5k sealing up whatever these guys turn up.
  • I manage about 10 bait stations around the property, after about a one year contract from another company that was doing it for me.
  • I had a handy man create a hatch access door to the subfloor and I have personally snap trapped dozens of rats there.
  • I have had probably 3 different plumbers and 3 different HVAC companies come out to give their assessment, to no avail.
  • I’ve tried those stupid noise machines and predator sound boxes, light boxes
  • I’ve sprayed powerful peppermint all around the perimeter of our house
  • I’ve moved game cameras around the property, leaving them for many nights at a time. Only ever saw birds and squirrels.

Nobody can seem to figure out how they are getting in, and poison+trapping isn’t cutting it. The smell is awful, they are chewing our house from the inside. And to top it all off, we have a newborn in the house now and I am terrified of all the sick and disease these rodents can carry.

I don’t know if I’m pleading for help or what I’m doing on here, I’m just at my wits end and I’ll try absolutely anything you guys suggest.

isherwood
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Update: The twins found a breach in the sewer lines in the subfloor. Not only did the contractors who did the remodel do a negligent job capping the old sewer lines, the rats eventually CHEWED STRAIGHT THROUGH the PVC lines in multiple places. Over the next few days, they found many breaches, actually, all sewer. They ended up running 8-9 smoke tests to ensure they capped everything off.. As a final nail in the coffin, we had a plumber come out to install a backflow valve, and the twins affixed some wired mesh to the outside of that flap to deter them from chewing it up. We continued to hear activity for about 10-14 days ... but it has been quiet for the last 2 weeks, so we are cautiously optimistic. They did also breach the HVAC system and we have to demo and replace everything and then do restoration work. All said and done this entire thing will have cost us 60-70k over the last (3) years.

Triplefault
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