Tile Roof Repair - Roof Rat Prevention

05.02.2006 - This was a difficult job.  It was a large house with a roof rat problem. The only way to permanently get rid of rats is to seal off all of their entry holes. This is one of the most difficult types of homes in which to solve the rat problem, because it has a barrel tile roof, and not just that, a barrel tile roof with an open perimeter.  That means that around the edge of the roof are open gaps under every last tile.  Rats can enter these wide-open areas at will, and run underneath the "tunnel" under the tiles and find any opening into the attic, such as where plumbing stacks go through the roof, or vents, or areas where roof meets roof.  Basically, the only way to solve the rat problem at such a house is to seal off every single open tile.  In the above photo, I'm drilling in steel screens to block these openings.  The inset photo shows what it looks like.  This house had a lot of areas that needed to be sealed!  Once everything is sealed off, all the rats were trapped and removed, and the problem solved.

Remember, the most important step in a total wildlife control solution is to stop the source of the problem - if you have wild critters in your attic or home, the only way to permanently solve the problem is to close all the entry points! This is a special skill, and it requires extensive knowledge of both architecture and animal behavior. Being a skilled repairman also helps. All repairs should be done in such a way that keeps animals out for good - this often means sealing with steel, and sealing openings so that they are airtight, with no trace of airflow for animals to detect. Remember, rodents can gnaw through almost anything, and raccoons can tear through almost anything. While it's important to trap and remove animals, and clean up the waste they leave behind, the most important step in solving the critter problem and in keeping animals out forever is to identify and repair every last critter access point into the building. Without this crucial step, the job isn't complete.

Do it yourself: Visit my How To Do Wildlife Repairs page for tips and advice.
Learn more: Browse my Examples of Repair Jobs blog to see some wildlife repairs in action.
Get professional help: Visit my Nationwide Pro Directory of wildlife removal experts.

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