Rats in the Attic? We Get Them Out and Keep Them Out.

The scratching in the ceiling is not the house settling

In Orlando, that noise is usually roof rats. They travel the oak canopy and power lines straight onto roofs, squeeze through gaps the size of a quarter, and set up in attics where it is warm and dry. Mice do the same thing at ground level — through weep holes, pipe gaps, and garage door corners. Once inside, they chew wiring, shred insulation for nesting, and leave droppings everywhere they travel.

Rodents are not a spray-and-pray problem. You cannot treat your way out of rats. You have to remove what is inside and close what let them in — in that order. Skip the second step and new rodents just move into the same openings.

Removal, then exclusion

First we inspect: attic, roofline, garage, exterior — finding droppings, rub marks, gnaw marks, and every entry point. Then we remove the rodents inside using traps placed where they travel. We do not start with poisons scattered around your home; placement and strategy matter more than chemistry, and dead rodents inside walls are a problem nobody wants.

Then comes the part that actually solves it: exclusion. We seal the entry points with materials rodents cannot chew through — steel mesh, metal flashing, concrete repair — not foam or caulk alone, which they chew through in a night. Roofline gaps, soffit returns, pipe penetrations, garage corners, and vents all get closed properly.

Orlando's roof rat problem is a tree problem

The beautiful oak canopy over neighborhoods like Winter Park, Maitland, and Conway is also a rodent highway system. Branches touching the roof are an invitation. As part of our plan, we will point out which limbs to trim back — usually the single highest-impact thing a homeowner can do against roof rats.

How It Works: Our Rodent Process

1. Free inspection. Attic, roofline, garage, and full exterior. We map droppings, rub marks, gnaw marks, and every entry point, and we identify whether you have roof rats, Norway rats, or mice, because the plan differs.
2. Removal plan. We place traps along the travel routes the inspection revealed, not scattered randomly. You will know where they are and when we check them.
3. Trapping phase. We remove what is inside. Timing depends on the population, usually days to a couple of weeks, with regular checks.
4. Exclusion. We seal every entry point with materials rodents cannot chew through: steel mesh, metal flashing, concrete repair. Not foam or caulk alone, which they chew through in a night.
5. Follow-up. We verify there is no new activity and that every seal is holding. Removal without verified exclusion is just a pause.

Roof rats, Norway rats, and house mice: know which you have

Roof rats are Orlando's signature rodent. They are climbers: they travel oak branches and power lines onto roofs, nest in attics, and slip through gaps the size of a quarter. If you hear movement overhead at night, start here.

Norway rats stay low. They burrow, follow sewers and drainage, and enter through ground-level gaps into garages and crawl spaces. They are larger and heavier than roof rats, and their entry points are different.

House mice fit through a hole the size of a dime and live in wall voids, kitchens, and pantries. They breed fast, so a small mouse problem becomes a big one quickly. Each species travels different routes, nests in different places, and needs different trap placement, which is why identification comes before anything else.

What draws them in: the attractant audit

Rodents come for three things: food, water, and shelter, and Orlando yards offer all three. Fruit trees, especially citrus and mango, are a major draw. Pet food left out overnight, bird feeders, open trash cans, and grill grease all feed them. Dense ivy and groundcover against the house give them covered highways to your walls. Cluttered garages and storage give them nesting material.

During the inspection we flag your specific attractants and tell you which fixes matter most. Trimming fruit trees and securing trash are often the highest-impact moves, and most are weekend projects.

After removal: the attic recovery

Getting rodents out is step one. What they leave behind needs attention too. Shredded insulation loses its insulating value. Droppings and urine in insulation and on surfaces should be handled carefully. Chewed wiring is a genuine fire risk and chewed pipes can leak.

Here is where our work ends and specialists begin: we seal the entry points and remove accessible nesting debris, and we document the damage we find in writing. For chewed wiring, have an electrician inspect before you assume it is fine. For heavily soiled insulation, an insulation contractor can advise on replacement. Our written report helps with both conversations, and with insurance if your policy covers sudden wildlife damage.

Hearing things at night?

Send the form below or call (301) 679-9193. Free inspection — we will find how they are getting in and lay out the removal and sealing plan.