Rodent Proofing & Pest Exclusion
in Coquitlam, BC
Coquitlam's topography is dramatically varied — from the near-flat Como Lake area and the Burquitlam lowlands to the steep slopes of Burke Mountain, where residential development has pushed into terrain that was forestland a generation ago. This range means crawlspace conditions are highly site-specific. Burke Mountain homes on new lots sometimes deal with cut-and-fill grading that has disrupted natural drainage patterns, directing water toward foundation walls in ways that were not anticipated during construction. Lower Coquitlam properties in areas like Burquitlam and Maillardville deal with the older housing stock that characterizes the lower Fraser Valley — vented crawlspaces, original fibreglass insulation, and moisture damage that has accumulated over decades.
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.
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.
Why Choose Us in Coquitlam?
- Experience with Coquitlam's specific soil and drainage conditions
- Custom-designed systems — not one-size-fits-all packages
- Fully licensed, insured, and WCB-covered technicians
- Written report with photos after every inspection
- Workmanship guarantee on all completed work
Request Service in Coquitlam
About Coquitlam — What We See Here
Maillardville in particular has some of Coquitlam's oldest residential housing — a French-Canadian community established in the early 20th century, with some properties dating back to the 1910s and 1920s. Crawlspaces in homes of this age have often had multiple rounds of insulation and vapor barrier work over the decades, and we frequently find layers of materials installed by successive owners, some of which have contributed to rather than solved the moisture problems. Proper remediation in these cases requires understanding what is actually there before proceeding with a new approach.
The Austin Heights and Coquitlam Centre areas represent mid-century development — 1950s through 1970s — where many homes have crawlspace foundations and the typical moisture and structural issues of that era. We see a high proportion of cases here where the original fibreglass insulation has completely failed and mold on the subfloor underside is well-established. Encapsulation combined with mold remediation and insulation replacement is the standard scope for these properties.