Rodent proofing

Rodent Exclusion and Rat Proofing in San Francisco

Traps deal with the rats already inside. Exclusion is what stops the next ones. We seal every gap a rat or mouse can use, then make sure nothing is left behind the seal.

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Why sealing beats killing

A rat problem is an access problem. As long as there is a way in, a house with food, warmth and shelter will keep drawing new rodents, no matter how many are trapped. A rat can squeeze through a gap about the size of a quarter, and a mouse through one about the size of a dime, so the openings that matter are often small enough to overlook.

Exclusion means closing those openings for good. We start with a full inspection of the house, crawl space and walls, mark every entry point we find, and give you one detailed quote. Then we seal each one with materials rodents can’t chew through, and repair the damage they left behind.

San Francisco houses give rodents more ways in than most. Older Victorian and Edwardian homes have decades of settling, street-level garages, crawl spaces and aging vents, and row houses share walls with their neighbors, so rats can move from one building to the next without ever going outside.

What we seal

The six entry points we check on every house

Every one of these can be sealed. Most homes have more than one open, which is why we inspect the whole building before quoting.

Where rats and mice get into a San Francisco house A row house between two neighbors with six numbered entry points: roofline gaps, attic vents, pipe and utility openings, garage door seals, foundation and crawl space vents, and sewer lines. A roof rat route runs along the overhead utility line to the roofline, and a Norway rat route runs through the sewer main into the house lateral. CRAWL SPACE SEWER MAIN NEIGHBOR NEIGHBOR ATTIC ROOF RAT ROUTE NORWAY RAT ROUTE 1 2 3 4 5 6
  1. 1
    Roofline and cornice gapsWhere the cornice meets the neighbor’s wall or the roof edge has settled. The roof rat’s way in.
  2. 2
    Attic and roof ventsTorn or rusted vent screens open straight into the attic.
  3. 3
    Pipe and utility openingsGaps around gas, water and electrical lines where they pass through the wall.
  4. 4
    Garage door sealsA worn bottom seal or bent corner leaves a gap wide enough for a rat.
  5. 5
    Foundation and crawl space ventsBroken vent screens and cracked foundation let Norway rats under the house.
  6. 6
    Sewer lines and drainsNorway rats swim and travel through damaged sewer laterals and floor drains.

FAQ

Rodent Exclusion questions

How do rats get into a house?

Most often through gaps along the roofline, torn vent screens, openings where pipes and utility lines enter, worn garage door seals, foundation and crawl space vents, and damaged sewer lines. Roof rats tend to come in high, through the attic. Norway rats tend to come in low, through the foundation, garage or drains.

What happens to rats still inside after you seal the house?

We follow exclusion with a trapping cycle, so any rodents sealed inside are caught and removed rather than left to die in a wall. Traps are checked, removed and replaced during the cycle.

How much does rodent exclusion cost?

It depends on how many entry points the house has and how much repair is needed, so we quote after a full inspection. You get one detailed price before work starts, and we don’t charge extra for materials.

Is exclusion enough on its own?

For many homes, exclusion followed by one trapping cycle is enough. Properties with steady rodent pressure nearby, and most commercial buildings, add an ongoing trap rotation plan to catch new activity early.

Other services

Rat & Mouse Trapping Cleanup & Repair Trap Rotation Plans

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Hear something in the walls?

Call and talk to us today, or send the form and we will call you back. Same-day service is available across San Francisco.

(415) 875-0674
  • Poison free, every job
  • Full inspection, then one detailed quote
  • No upcharge on materials

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