Rodent Proofing & Pest Exclusion
Don't let pests call your crawlspace home. We seal all entry points and clean up existing damage to prevent future infestations.
Rodents find crawlspaces attractive for the same reasons moisture does well there: it's dark, protected, relatively warm, and — in homes without proper exclusion — easy to get into. Rats (particularly Norway rats, common throughout Surrey and the Fraser Valley) and house mice can squeeze through gaps as small as a quarter-inch. They enter through uncapped foundation vents, gaps around utility penetrations, deteriorated sill plate joints, and even through the condenser lines of HVAC systems if protective screens are missing or corroded.
Once inside, rodents create significant damage quickly. They shred insulation for nesting material, contaminate it with urine and feces, gnaw on electrical wiring (a fire hazard), damage vapor barriers, and leave behind pathogens including hantavirus, which is present in rodent populations throughout BC. Beyond the direct damage, a rodent infestation signals to other pests — including insects — that the space is accessible and hospitable.
Our rodent-proofing process starts with a perimeter audit: we walk the exterior of the foundation looking for every possible entry point, then we move inside the crawlspace to identify any gaps that weren't visible from outside. Foundation vents are fitted with heavy-gauge galvanized steel mesh or replaced with sealed covers. Gaps around plumbing and electrical penetrations are packed with stainless steel wool and sealed with caulk or foam. Damaged sill plates are repaired. If the foundation vent openings are large or irregularly shaped, we use pre-formed steel exclusion panels rather than flexible mesh, which rodents can push past over time.
Following exclusion, we remove and dispose of contaminated insulation and nesting material according to proper biohazard protocols — this is not material that should go into a regular green bin. The crawlspace framing and subfloor are treated with an appropriate antimicrobial to address bacterial contamination from rodent waste. New insulation is then installed only after the space has been properly cleaned and sealed.
A key point homeowners sometimes overlook: exclusion without addressing what made the crawlspace attractive in the first place often results in reinfestations. Damp, warm crawlspaces with abundant nesting material will attract rodents regardless of how many times entry points are patched. Pairing rodent exclusion with encapsulation and proper drainage removes the environmental conditions that make the space desirable to pests in the first place.