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The construction of a house, as a rule, takes place in clean spaces that used to be forests, agricultural land, or simply free space near cities. It is not surprising that initially these areas were inhabited by various rodents living in the ground, among the vegetation, in the roots of trees. Attracted by human activity, mice, rats, and other species can relocate to the construction site and become a real scourge for both builders and future homeowners.
Effective means of rodent control are always used in the construction of houses, and residences – they are laid at the design stage. When building a house, you should take into account the possibility of penetration of rodents into different parts of the building, use mechanical means to protect the building’s constructive and finishing materials, to prevent the formation of lesions and voids that can be used by rodents as housing.
Reasons Why Rodents Move To Construction Sites
Human activities constantly have consequences in the form of the production of wastes, mostly biological. Some materials used in construction also have a certain appeal to rodents – therefore their appearance on the construction site is a matter of time, and from a certain period, they begin to bring anxiety and real harm.
What Attracts Rodents To Private Homes?
- Food waste, food residues that are waste products of people.
- Organic cladding materials, insulation, and mineral wool.
To effectively prevent the spread and colonization of rodents, various methods can be employed. The main requirement that applies to all types of protection is long-term operation and ease of installation so that the life of each element is comparable to the life of the house itself.
How Do Rodents Get Into A Private House?
Rodents are very dangerous and can cause damage not only to property but also to the elements of decoration. Mice, rats, sometimes moles and squirrels can get inside the home in several ways:
- Through the ground: this is especially important for houses that use pile and screw foundations. Earthen floors can become a hotbed for the spread of rodents – even sand or clay. Impact on insulation and waterproofing can also be carried out if rodents arrange their underground nests near the potentially warmest object on the site.
- Through the vents: the most common way of entry, no matter the height of the ground level is the ventilation channel. External excretory channels can be a convenient way for rats and mice if the house has a basement or ground floor. Ventilation outlets in the house itself can also become a place of life for animals, from where they can get into the floors and internal cavities of the walls.
- With the help of building materials: this method is not very common since the constant noise on the construction site can scare off rodents. But still, this option should not be excluded, especially if you use many hollow segments. In fact, for small rodents, it will not be difficult to hide in the middle of a building element and survive the installation process.
How To Protect Yourself From Rodents When Building A House?
Here are common ways to prevent the appearance of rodents in a private house, without resorting to complex work and not using expensive materials.
Metal Mesh – Simplicity & Convenience
One of the most common ways to protect the building and its components from rodents is a galvanized metal grid with small cells, made from a rod of small thickness.
The metal mesh can be used for mounting on the corners of a building and any surfaces that the rodents can use to gain access into the home. Often, the material is laid under the finishing floor or at the bottom of the draft if the building uses a pile/screw foundation.
The mesh, cut out in the form of air ducts, perfectly protects the ventilation holes from the penetration of rats and mice, retains large fragments of vegetation. The barrier is installed, both on the outer edge of the structural elements, and on the inner, or in the form of a stopper in the cavity of any other material.
For external installation, it is recommended to bury the mesh to a depth of 50 centimeters below the deepest point of the base of the house.
Decking – 1.5 Millimeters Of Effective Protection
Metal profiled sheets are also a common way to protect the foundation from external exposure by rodents. Creating a monolithic continuous plane, they effectively protect rats and mice from penetrating and spreading. If surface mounting is planned, then you need to dig profiled to a depth of 60 centimeters – lower than the edge of the foundation to cut off the underground access paths.
The most common option is to use a profiled sheet as a fixed formwork, both under vertical and under horizontal surfaces, floors, walls, supports. Thus, it is possible not only to protect the building from rodents but also to increase the strength of each structural element.
Expanded Clay & Insulation – Not Tasty Materials
Burnt clay (expanded clay), as well as various non-organic insulation, can be a reliable obstacle to the penetration of rodents. Expanded clay can be used for bulk floors or in the process of creating a multi-layer overlap between floors.
With professional installation and in compliance with all the rules of construction, even simple and inexpensive materials can protect the building from rodents of different sizes.
Alliance Pest Services can help keep your home or business rodent free as the weather gets colder. Pest-proof your structure before rodents gain entry. Prevention is much easier than removing rodents after they have entry paths into structures. Contact Alliance Pest Services today to learn more about our New Jersey rodent control solutions.
