Central Gardens, Midtown Memphis

Rodent control in Central Gardens

Central Gardens has some of Memphis's largest old houses and tallest trees. Call to reach an independent local technician who can handle roof rats in big attics and mice from below.

Call (901) 256-2861 Free call · Same-day appointments are often available

Big houses built a century ago

Central Gardens covers about 83 blocks and 511 acres in Midtown, according to the neighborhood association, with streets like Belvedere Boulevard, Peabody Avenue, Linden and McLean Boulevard. Most of it was built between 1900 and 1930 across more than 40 small subdivisions, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The houses are mostly large single-family homes, with some duplexes and small apartment buildings. Many have deep, steep attics, multiple roof planes, dormers, porches and additions. Each of those features adds roofline joints where gaps open over time.

Roof rats, mice and the tree canopy

Central Gardens is known for towering trees, and those limbs reach over a lot of rooflines. Roof rats travel the canopy and the overhead lines, then work their way in at soffits, dormer corners, gable vents and the gaps around old chimneys.

In big attics, rats can spread out. Droppings in one corner do not mean the colony is in that corner. A thorough inspection covers the whole attic and any knee walls and dormer spaces.

Below, mice and Norway rats use crawl space vents, old pipe penetrations and gaps under porches. Detached garages and carriage houses behind some homes are common nesting spots.

Seeing signs in Central Gardens?

(901) 256-2861

Chimneys, dormers and old vents

Central Gardens houses often have tall brick chimneys, sometimes no longer in use, and those chimney chases make easy roof rat routes into the attic. Dormers and the small roofs over porches and bays create corners where flashing has lifted. Gable vents from the original construction may have screens that rusted out decades ago. A chimney cap, new vent screens of galvanized mesh and metal at the roof joints usually close the main openings. Ask the technician to check any unused chimney flue for nesting.

Planning a job on a Central Gardens house

Large, complex rooflines take time to seal well. Ask the provider for a list of every opening and the material for each, and ask what they could not reach safely. Expect more trapping visits than on a small house. If insulation is soiled, see attic cleanup.

Before you call

What to say when you call

Your call goes to an independent rodent control provider serving Central Gardens. Two minutes of detail up front gets you a straighter answer on timing and price.

Tell them

✓Rats or mice, if you can tell. Mouse droppings are rice-sized; rat droppings run about half an inch or longer.
✓Where the activity is: attic, ceiling, walls, kitchen, crawl space, garage, yard or under the slab.
✓How long it has been going on, and whether the noise or droppings are getting worse.
✓The building: brick ranch, Midtown bungalow on a crawl space, townhome, apartment, restaurant or warehouse.
✓Your neighborhood or ZIP code and the times that work for a visit.
✓Anything already tried, like snap traps, store bait, foam in a gap or a past service.

Ask them

?Is the company chartered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (or licensed in Mississippi, for DeSoto County)?
?Will the technician seal the entry points, or only set traps and bait?
?How many return visits does the price cover, and what does an extra one cost?
?Can I see the plan and the quote in writing before work starts?
?What goes inside the house, and how is it kept away from kids and pets?

Call (901) 256-2861

FAQ

Central Gardens rodent questions

Why does sealing a Central Gardens house cost more?

Large old houses have many roof planes, dormers and additions, so there are more joints to check and seal, often at height. Ask for a line-item list of openings.

Can rats get into a carriage house or detached garage?

Yes, and they often nest there before moving into the main house. Include outbuildings in the inspection.

How do I know the rats are gone from a big attic?

No fresh droppings, no noise and empty traps over several follow-up visits. A final check of the whole attic confirms it.

Rat or mouse problem in Central Gardens?