West Adams districts we cover
- Jefferson Park
- West Adams Terrace
- Western Heights
- West Adams Heights
- Arlington Heights
- Wellington Square
- Victoria Park
- Lafayette Square
Where rodents get into old West Adams houses
Kit-built bungalows
Craftsman bungalows from the early 1900s sit low on raised wood floors, with crawlspace vents, exposed rafter tails and wood siding. After a century, worn vent screens, gaps between siding boards and the open spaces between rafters at the eaves are typical openings.
Victorians with many rooflines
The large Victorian and Queen Anne houses have tall attics, turrets, porches and many roof lines, and most have been repaired or added onto over the decades. Each joint between original and later work is a place where a gap can open.
Deep lots and outbuildings
Deep lots with mature trees, sheds and garages at the back of the yard give rodents cover and places to nest away from the house. Branches over the roof and power lines running to the house give roof rats a way up to the attic.
Houses under restoration
Many West Adams houses are being restored, which can leave walls open, vent screens missing or siding loose for months. Rodents use those gaps, and an inspection during the work can find openings before the walls and floors are closed up.
Age matters here: vent screens, eaves and foundations open up over the decades, and those small gaps are how mice and rats get in.
