4 Reasons to Remove Roof Insulation After a Rodent Infestation



If you've recently had to call out a pest control company to get rid of mice or rats in your attic, then you might think that you've solved the problem. However, the job isn't over yet.

If your roof space contains insulation, then you should consider removing and replacing it. The mice or rats that lived in your attic could have left various problems behind. Why should you get rid of your old insulation now?

1. Replace damaged insulation

Mice and rats settle in attics and roof spaces because they get a sheltered, safe and quiet place to live. Any insulation in the space is a bonus for them. The more time they spend in your attic, the more damage they can do to these materials.

For example, rats might tear up bits of insulation to build nests and chew out lumps and holes. Mice often nest in insulation, so they will dig out space for their nests. They also like to build tunnels in the material to use as safe places and escape routes.

Any damage to insulation reduces its thermal efficiency. If rodents have torn up, chewed or excavated through parts of your attic's insulating materials, then your home loses temperature control. The insulation won't work as well as it originally did. To restore this efficiency, you have to remove the old materials and start over with a refit.

2. Reduce health risks

Rodents carry a lot of diseases that can harm humans. For example, they can spread Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis, Hantavirus and Salmonella. Often, they pass on diseases through their droppings and urine; however, you can also pick them up from dust that contains these contaminants.

If you've had rodents in your attic for a while, then they will have left droppings and urine in your insulation. You can't take these contaminants out while leaving the insulation in place. Even if you don't touch these substances, they can move around through the air in the dust. Airborne contaminants can be a real problem for people with allergies.

If your insulation has become a health hazard, then take it out. Your attic space will then be clean, safe and healthy again.

3. Get rid of smells

If rats or mice have left droppings and urine in your roof insulation, then you'll likely notice that your attic develops an unpleasant smell. This smell isn't likely to go away if urine and droppings have soaked into the material. If your infestation was large or lasted a long time, then the smell could permeate into other parts of your home.

The only way to get rid of this smell is to remove the tainted materials. Once your old insulation is out of the space, and you've cleaned it up, your home will smell fresh again.

4. Check for signs of damage