Was your latest energy bill higher than you expected? There are a few reasons this can happen, and, surprisingly enough, a rodent problem is one of them.

If rodent activity is adding to your energy bills, addressing this issue will help you get these expenses under control. To do that, you’ll need to understand the basics of rodent proofing (and think about hiring the professionals to take care of this work).

How Efficiency Problems Reveal Attic Rodent Infestations

Rodents affect home energy efficiency in several ways. You might have a pest problem if your energy costs have gone up due to:

Damaged Insulation

Food and warmth aren’t the only reasons why rodents start living in people’s attics. These spaces also offer a convenient supply of nesting material in the form of insulation.

But insulation is also responsible for controlling temperatures in your home – and when rodents use it as nesting material, they damage it and reduce its effectiveness. If your insulation is damaged, you’ll have to use more energy to keep your house cool in the summer and warm during the winter.

Voltage Issues

Insulation isn’t the only material rodents might chew on in your attic. These animals will also gnaw on any electrical wiring they find there, which can lead to unexpected electrical problems.

For example, rodent interference might result in voltage drops, making your home’s electrical appliances less efficient than they should be. If you don’t get this situation under control right away, your energy usage (and energy bills) will skyrocket.

Air Gaps

As if voltage problems and insulation issues weren’t enough, rodents can also create tiny gaps and holes in your home’s walls. That, in turn, can create air drafts – forcing your HVAC system to work extra hard to compensate for this situation.

What Other Problems Do Rodents Cause?

Of course, energy efficiency issues aren’t the only consequence of an ongoing rodent infestation. If rodents are living in your attic, you might also suffer from:

  • An increased fire risk. The National Fire Protection Association has stated that electrical malfunctions/failures were behind 13% of US home structure fires between 2015 and 2019. That means rodents chewing on your wiring can raise your odds of a home fire.
  • Damage to your home. Have rodents started gnawing on your home’s wooden beams? If they have, your house’s structural integrity will pay the price.
  • Potential for illness. According to the CDC, rodents can spread all sorts of diseases to humans. Illnesses rodents can spread include rat bite fever, tularemia, and salmonellosis.
  • Reduced property values. Since rodents can cause a wide range of issues, your house’s market value will suffer as a result of an infestation.

How to Know if You Have Rodents in Your Attic

If you’ve noticed a sudden increase in your monthly energy bill, rodents may or may not be to blame. To determine whether or not these pests are contributing to this situation, look out for warning signs like:

  • Rodent droppings
  • Shredded insulation and other nesting materials
  • Chewed holes through floors and walls
  • Stale smells
  • Signs of gnawing on food packaging
  • Unusual noises (especially “scratching” and “scurrying” sounds)

Protect Your Energy Efficiency With Rodent Proofing Strategies

Once you’ve determined that you have rodents in your attic, you’ll need to start dealing with this problem head-on to keep your energy costs under control. Effective strategies for rodent-proofing your home include:

  • Sealing entry points. Rodents can squeeze through tiny holes to get into your house. Take some time to inspect your home and plug every hole you find.
  • Setting traps. Placing traps wherever you see signs of rodent activity is an important step to take while dealing with a rodent infestation. By using live traps, you can catch rodents while they’re still alive.
  • Cleaning your property. Taking care of the area around your home can make your house less susceptible to rodent problems. With that in mind, keep the area near your home free of junk and trim any plants growing near your house.
  • Making your wiring rodent-resistant. Until your home is completely free of rodents, you’ll need a way to keep these pests from damaging your wiring. Rodent-resistant sleeving can help keep your wires safe.

Should You Tackle Rodent Problems by Yourself?

Many homeowners try to get rodents out of their homes without considering professional help. But even though rodent removal might sound like a job you can handle on your own, this task can prove to be surprisingly difficult. Though plugging a few holes and setting out traps may be enough to treat a small-scale rodent problem, getting a larger infestation under control takes much more time and effort.

Fortunately, you’ll get better results by hiring a qualified rodent-proofing company to deal with the rodents in your attic. The experts working for these businesses can provide:

Comprehensive home inspections. No matter how carefully you inspect your home, you could miss a tiny rodent entry point during your search. That won’t be a problem when you hire the pros – they know exactly what to look for while rodent-proofing homes like yours.

Best-in-class tools and methods. Rodent-proofing experts have access to equipment and knowledge that the average homeowner doesn’t. Thanks to these resources, these professionals can do a much better job of controlling your rodent problem than you could on your own.

Non-lethal rodent control. Eliminating a rodent infestation doesn’t have to involve killing mice and rats. The best companies in this industry use humane rodent control strategies to get these pests out of homes like yours.

Contact Us for Effective Rodent Control and Removal Services

]Between high energy bills, fire risks, and the possibility of disease, you shouldn’t ignore the presence of rodents in your house. Instead, it’s a good idea to take rodent proofing seriously – and the team at Attic Projects delivers best-in-class rodent control with a 10-year warranty. If you’re ready to get rid of rodents in your attic, contact us today!