Rodent Exclusion & Trapping

Purpose

Define the residential rodent exclusion + trapping protocol. Rodents (mice + rats) are repeat customers if you only trap - they keep finding the same entry points. Exclusion (sealing entry points) + sanitation (removing food sources) + trapping (eliminating current population) together is the only durable solution. Customers who want "just put down traps" become customers who call you every 6 months.

Scope

Applies to:

• Mouse infestations (house mouse, deer mouse)
• Norway rat infestations (most common urban / suburban rat)
• Roof rat infestations (southern + coastal regions)

Excludes hantavirus-positive deer-mouse infestations (specialty cleanup + protective equipment required - refer to remediation specialist) and commercial / agricultural rat infestations (different scale + chemistry).

Responsibilities

• Dispatcher confirms scope + entry-point access at booking
• Lead technician does the structural inspection + plans exclusion
• Customer is briefed on the multi-visit timeline + sanitation expectations

Procedure

Visit 1 - Inspection + emergency trapping (60 - 90 minutes)

1. Customer briefing. "I'll do a structural inspection to find entry points, then set traps. Sealing the entry points is what makes the rodents stop coming back. Expect 3 - 4 visits over 4 - 6 weeks."
2. Exterior structural inspection. Walk perimeter looking for:

• Holes in siding (mice fit through a #2 pencil-sized opening)
• Gaps around utility penetrations
• Weep holes in brick veneer
• Foundation cracks
• Garage door bottom seal gaps
• Roofline + soffit gaps (roof rats)

1. Interior inspection.

• Under sinks: look for droppings + gnaw marks
• Behind appliances + cabinets
• Attic + basement / crawlspace
• Pantry (food access)

1. Document entry points with painter's tape + photos for the customer.
2. Set traps. Snap traps in inconspicuous locations along walls (rodents travel walls, not open floors). Bait with peanut butter + a small piece of bacon. Minimum 6 - 12 traps for an active infestation.
3. NO poison baits indoors (rodents die in walls + smell for weeks).

Visit 2 - Check traps, deploy exclusion (1 week later)

1. Check traps. Reset where successful + sprung. Document each kill location for customer (psychological win + proof of work).
2. Begin exclusion: seal entry points found in visit 1.

• Small gaps: copper mesh + caulk (rodents can't chew through copper mesh)
• Medium gaps: hardware cloth + screw or wire-tie attachment
• Large gaps: structural repair (refer if not your scope)

1. Customer education on sanitation: bird feeder access, pet food, garbage management.

Visit 3 - Verify + final exclusion (2 - 3 weeks later)

1. Check traps. Successful traps should be tapering down.
2. Complete any remaining exclusion.
3. Begin baiting EXTERIOR ONLY with tamper-resistant bait stations (out of reach of children + pets).

Visit 4 - Final verification (4 - 6 weeks later)

1. Check exterior bait stations.
2. Confirm no fresh droppings, gnaw marks, or activity.
3. Customer hand-off + recurring quarterly monitoring schedule.

Acceptance Criteria

• All entry points found + photographed in visit 1
• All entry points sealed by visit 3
• No fresh rodent evidence at visit 4
• Customer signs each visit's report
• Exterior bait stations installed + serviced

References

• CDC Hantavirus prevention guidelines
• HUD Pest Exclusion Standards
• NPMA Best Management Practices for Rodent Control
• Manuall internal: Quarterly Residential Pest Service, Identify Pest Entry Points