Most people think of rodents entering through the attic or a door. The foundation matters too. Buildings in this part of Florida range from slab-on-grade, with an attic above, to raised floors with a crawl space beneath. We do not know which type yours is, so this guide covers both.
Slab-on-grade buildings.
A slab has no space beneath, so rodents cannot nest under the floor. They can still burrow beside the slab and reach the building through gaps. Common entry points include sleeves where pipes and wires pass through the wall, cracks where the slab meets the wall and the garage door.
- Look for burrows or loose soil along the slab edge.
- Inspect each pipe and cable entry into the wall, indoors and out.
- Test the garage door seals and corners.
- Examine the roof edge and vents for roof rat entry.
Raised floors and crawl spaces.
A raised building has a space beneath the floor. That space can offer shelter, but it also depends on foundation vents and skirting. A torn screen, missing cover or gap in the skirting gives animals direct access, and moist air can encourage them to nest.
In humid weather, wet soil and condensation can add moisture. A damp crawl space can hold odor longer and soften wood. Check that vents are intact and that soil is not washing against the foundation.
| Foundation type. | Common entry points. | What to check. |
|---|---|---|
| Slab-on-grade. | Pipe sleeves, wall cracks, garage door, roof edge. | Slab edge, penetrations, seals. |
| Raised floor with crawl space. | Foundation vents, skirting gaps, access door. | Screens, skirting, soil level. |
| Both. | Roof edge, soffits, attic vents. | Fronds, limbs, torn screens. |
Safe checking.
Open crawl space doors and let the area air out before entering. Wear gloves, avoid stirring dust and do not sweep droppings. If you find a nest, leave it. The safety checklist below follows the CDC steps.
Be careful around wiring and pipes. If you see chewed insulation or cable sheathing, do not touch it.
Closing gaps for each type.
On a slab building, steel mesh and sealant close pipe sleeves, and metal flashing covers gaps at the wall. On a raised building, sturdy metal screens cover vents and skirting gaps are repaired. The materials are described on our exclusion page.
If animals are already under the floor, trapping comes first. Afterward, crawl space cleanup removes soiled material and treats the area.
Footsteps overhead after midnight? The line is staffed all night, so ring whenever it suits you.
Tap to call (888) 686-4821A seasonal routine.
Check the foundation after each stormy stretch. Look for new burrows, loose screens and soil piled against the walls. Keep stored items away from the foundation, and trim plants back.
What the ground does after rain.
The soil around a building changes with the weather. After heavy rain, ground beside a slab can settle or wash away, which sometimes opens a gap between the slab and the wall or exposes the edge of a vent. On a raised floor, soil that washes against the skirting can bury a vent screen or push it loose.
A walk along the foundation after a wet spell is the simplest check. Look for soil that has slumped, edges that are exposed and any sign of digging. Rats burrow in loose soil, and a fresh mound beside the slab tells you where one has been working.
- Fill low spots and slope the ground so water runs off the foundation.
- Keep soil and mulch a few inches below any vent or skirting edge.
- Clear leaves and debris from the base of the wall.
- Photograph new holes before anything is filled, and phone for advice.
Moisture and the crawl space.
A raised building can hold damp air under the floor. Wet insulation, soft wood and standing water are all worth noting. They can make an animal nest more attractive and make odor harder to clear. If you see standing water or a strong musty smell, mention it on the call, because moisture changes the cleanup plan.
When to call.
If you hear noise under the floor or in the walls, or find droppings, phone any hour. Tell us which foundation type you have, if you know, and where you noticed signs. An inspection will confirm the entry points.
A brief safety list for pellets and nests
Health agencies agree on most of the cleaning method, and the common ground is boiled down here.
- Brooms, leaf blowers and household vacuums all raise the dust you are trying to avoid, so keep them away from dry waste.
- A locked outbuilding is not for walking into at once. Let air move through it for about half an hour.
- Gloves protect you during the job and soap protects you after it.
- Timing matters: wet the waste, let it rest about five minutes and only then wipe, so dust stays down.
- Pick a bag that seals well, with gloves or a tool between you and the animal.
- Unwell a few weeks later? Tell a clinician and mention the rodent contact.
Where the safety steps come from
Each cleanup or bait statement on this page leads back to one of the guidelines beneath this note.
- CDC advice on cleaning rodent droppings and nests: The CDC's walk through gloves, ventilation, wet wiping and disposal for pellets and nest material.
- CDC steps for preventing hantavirus exposure: The source of the sealing and tidying suggestions made on this page.