Rodent inspection in Memphis, TN
Not sure what you are hearing, or how they get in? Call to reach a local technician who can inspect the attic, roofline, crawl space and yard and give you a written plan.
- Memphis and Shelby County
- Rats and mice only
- Independent local providers
What a rodent inspection is for
An inspection answers three questions: which rodent is it, where is it living, and how is it getting in. Everything that follows depends on those answers. Roof rats get trapped up high and sealed out at the roofline. Norway rats get trapped low and sealed out at the foundation. Mice need small-gap sealing all around the house. Guess wrong, and you pay for traps in the wrong place.
A good inspection also tells you how big the problem is. A handful of fresh droppings by the water heater is a different job from an attic with trails worn through the insulation. That difference sets the number of visits, whether cleanup is needed and what the job will cost.
For buyers and sellers, an inspection before closing can also catch damage that a general home inspector might note only in passing, like chewed wiring in the attic or soiled insulation.
What a full inspection covers
Ask the provider to cover each of these areas, and to tell you if any could not be reached:
- Attic: droppings, urine stains, nests, chewed wiring and duct wrap, trails in insulation, and light showing through gaps at the eaves
- Roofline: soffits, fascia, gable and ridge vents, roof-to-wall joints, chimney chases, plumbing vent boots and the corners where rooflines meet
- Walls and living space: droppings in cabinets and drawers, gnaw marks, rub marks along baseboards, and gaps around pipes under sinks
- Crawl space or slab edge: foundation vents and their screens, access doors, gaps around pipes and ducts, burrows along the footing
- Garage: door seals and corners, stored food and seed, wall-to-slab gaps
- Yard: trees and vines touching the roof, burrows, woodpiles, fallen fruit, compost, and how the garbage carts are stored
You should leave with a written list of entry points, the species, and a recommended plan with prices for each part.
How an inspection visit goes, step by step
- When you call, describe the signs and where you notice them, and mention attic and crawl space access.
- The technician walks the exterior first, looking up at the roofline and down at the foundation.
- Next comes the attic, with a light, looking for droppings, nests, trails and daylight at the eaves.
- The crawl space, garage and the kitchen and bathroom plumbing come next.
- The technician notes each entry point, often with photos, and identifies the species from droppings and other signs.
- You get the findings and a written plan for trapping, sealing and any cleanup, with what each part costs.
Want a technician to look at your place?
(901) 256-2861What inspectors look for in Memphis houses
Memphis housing has a few patterns a local technician checks every time. Early 1900s homes in Midtown and Central Gardens often sit on brick piers or a perimeter foundation with a crawl space, and many have original or patched wood soffits and gable vents. Gaps where additions meet the original roof are common.
Post-war brick ranches across Frayser, Whitehaven, Raleigh and Hickory Hill tend to have low attics with tight access, foundation vents with rusted or missing screens, and old penetrations for gas lines and plumbing. In newer subdivisions in Cordova, Bartlett, Collierville and DeSoto County, the usual weak points are garage door seals, roof returns where two rooflines meet, and the gap around AC line sets.
The tree canopy matters too. Inspectors in Memphis spend time on overhanging limbs and on the service drop from the utility pole, since roof rats use both to reach the roof.
Inspections for buyers, sellers and landlords
A rodent inspection is also useful when nobody has heard a thing yet. Buyers of older Memphis homes sometimes book one before closing, especially for houses that sat empty, since vacant homes often collect rodents. The attic and crawl space in a 1920s Midtown house or a 1950s Whitehaven ranch can hold years of droppings that a showing will never reveal.
Landlords can use an inspection between tenants to check units and common areas, and to document the condition before a new lease. That record helps if a tenant later reports mice.
Sellers who know about past rodent activity can get the attic cleaned and the entry points sealed before listing, and keep the provider's paperwork to show buyers.
What to say when you call
Your call goes to an independent rodent control provider serving 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?
Rodent inspection questions
Is a rodent inspection free?
Some providers charge for the inspection and credit it toward the work; others include it in the treatment price. Published cost guides list about $75 to $200 for an inspection. Ask before the visit.
How long does an inspection take?
Most single-family homes take about an hour, longer for large attics, crawl spaces or several outbuildings.
Should I clean up droppings before the inspection?
Leave them if you can. Droppings tell the technician the species and how recent the activity is. If you must clean an area for health reasons, take photos first.
Can an inspection tell rats from mice?
Yes. Droppings size and shape, gnaw marks, rub marks and where the activity is all point to the species. Rat droppings are about half an inch to three quarters of an inch; mouse droppings are an eighth to a quarter inch.
Do I need an inspection if I only saw one mouse?
A quick inspection is still worth it, because one mouse usually means more and the entry point is the same one the next mouse will use.
Will a home inspector check for rodents?
General home inspectors may note droppings or damage they happen to see, but a rodent inspection looks harder at the attic, roofline and crawl space for entry points and activity.
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