Midtown, Memphis

Rodent control in Midtown Memphis

Midtown's old trees, early 1900s houses and busy restaurant strips make it roof rat territory. Call to reach an independent local technician who works Midtown attics and crawl spaces.

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

Why Midtown sees so many roof rats

Midtown is the heart of old Memphis housing. Most of the streets between the Parkways and the edges of East Memphis were built up in the early 1900s through the 1930s, with bungalows, foursquares, Tudor cottages and brick apartment buildings under a heavy canopy of oaks and magnolias.

That canopy is the problem. Limbs reach over rooflines, and roof rats use them to get onto shingles. From there, the way in is usually a gap at the soffit, a loose gable vent screen, or the joint where a later addition meets the original roof. Many Midtown houses have had several additions.

Overton Park adds to the pressure. The park's old-growth forest, the Memphis Zoo, the Brooks Museum and the Levitt Shell bring trees, food and people together, and the houses around the park see steady rodent activity.

Crawl spaces, alleys and commercial strips

A lot of Midtown homes sit on crawl spaces, often on brick piers with vents along the foundation. Rusted vent screens and old plumbing chases let Norway rats and mice in under the kitchen. Balloon-framed walls in older houses can carry mice from the crawl space up to the attic.

Commercial blocks on Poplar, Union, Madison and Cooper, and around Overton Square, add dumpsters, restaurant grease bins and older buildings with shared walls. Rats that feed behind a restaurant often nest in the yards and garages a block away.

Seeing signs in Midtown Memphis?

(901) 256-2861

Seasons and timing in Midtown

Calls in Midtown pick up in the fall, when roof rats that spent the summer in the trees move into attics, and again in late winter when they start nesting. Pecan, fig and other fruit and nut trees in older yards feed them through the fall. Rake up dropped nuts and fruit near the house, and do not store birdseed on the porch. If you hear noise, call early; a pair in October can be a colony by March.

What a Midtown job tends to include

Expect a technician to spend time on the roofline and the crawl space, since those are the two ways in on most Midtown houses. Trapping in the attic usually comes first, then sealing soffits, vents and roof returns with metal and mesh, then crawl space vents and pipe gaps. Limbs over the roof should be cut back.

For rentals and duplexes, the units next door often need checking too. See apartment rodent control and rats in the attic.

Before you call

What to say when you call

Your call goes to an independent rodent control provider serving Midtown Memphis. 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

Midtown Memphis rodent questions

Are roof rats really that common in Midtown?

Yes. The tree canopy and older rooflines make Midtown one of the most common places in Memphis for roof rat calls. Noise in the attic at night is the usual first sign.

My Midtown house is on a crawl space. Does that matter?

It does. Crawl spaces give Norway rats and mice a second way in, through foundation vents and pipe gaps. A good inspection covers both the attic and the crawl space.

Does the city help with rats near Overton Park?

Shelby County's rodent control program responds to complaints about outdoor rodent activity. Inside your home, you need a private provider. See the reporting guide.

Rat or mouse problem in Midtown Memphis?