Whilst some of the reality TV programs try to glamorise the pest control industry, it is well to remind yourselves that we have to do pretty awful jobs most of the time, in pretty severe conditions that most people would just not do. Last week was no exception. Over the past month or so, we have been working on a few older properties which have had pretty bad rat control problems in the Berkshire area. The good news is that we have solved the rat issues now and the client is delighted we managed the process so quickly and effectively.
Now where there is a large rat infestation, there is always a clean up job to do afterwards. This particular property is a gorgeous old farm cottage with very unusual features and a tiny roof void, which of course the rats have made their home. As building work needs to be done on this cottage, the loft area must be cleaned out completely. It is advisable to do this anyway once a rat infestation has been cleared for health reasons to0.
Clearing lofts is a service Rapid Pest Control offers as it completes the circle of rodent control, so to us this is a normal job, however this loft was particularly bad due not only to the number of rats that once lived here, but the size and position of the loft hatches and low roof.
First job is to completely sheet up all the downstairs area with dust covers. Whilst all effort is made to minimise the mess, just the act of disturbing old insulation materials creates a huge amount of dust, so we just take precautions to make this as painless as possible. The next task is to suit up in full bio-suits, full faced gas masks and gauntlets for protection against dust, glass fibre and rat faeces.
Then the slow and laborious job of clearing up, bagging up all the waste and transporting it out of the property for disposal begins. This particular cottage had not only fibre insulation, but rockwool and, believe it or not, straw as well so you can see why the rats loved it so much!
Once everything is bagged and out of the loft, we then hoover the whole loft space, picking up all the rat and mouse faeces to ensure no contamination is left. This is a painstaking job, but with the right tools it soon gets done. We removed in excess of 10kg of rat poo from this loft, so the smell in there was pretty bad.
Once all is clean, you can identify any issues caused by the rodents, we pay particular attention to the electric cabling and report this to the owners for action.
Due to the presence of disease carried by rats, we then spray the entire loft with a powerful disinfectant and deodoriser to kill any possible bacteria which may linger. To complete the task, we then re-lag the loft area, clean up and retire from the site for a well deserved shower and cold pint!
Loft clearances are probably one of the worst jobs we have to do; the conditions are dark, cramped and very hot, the PPE is at best uncomfortable and nothing is better than finishing the job and getting in the shower, but its all part of the job and we accept it in our stride.
If you have had a rat problem in your loft, you should get it checked and cleared out professionally. Just because the rats have gone, they leave a legacy of filth and disease which could very easily be caught if not dealt with. So call Rapid Pest control Services now for a loft clearance survey so we can assess the situation.
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