Residential Rodent Slab
Northwest Crawl Space Services specializes in installing rodent slabs that lock the pests out of your home’s crawl space.
The only permanent solution for re-occurring rodent infestation is a RODENT SLAB.
A fundamental part of every crawl space remediation project should be rodent exclusion. Though, rodent exclusion will usually only fix existing entry points as: compromised foundation vent screens, gaps or cracks and burrows/tunnels under the foundation.
Potentially, even after a successful crawl space remediation project and professional rodent exclusion, rats can create new burrows and return to the same crawl space.
Our Experience with Rodents
Two ways to protect your crawl space project investment, and prevent the need of another future extensive project.
Ongoing Maintenance Plan: After project completion, traps should be set inside the crawl space and be monitored from time to time. If a rat does come back to the crawl space it should get trapped quickly in one of the baited traps before creating additional damage or reproducing. In the next maintenance check that should be noticed, and the traps will be refreshed. As well, if customer notice foul odor, we will assign technician to inspect the crawl space ASAP and perform any work needed.
Rodent Slab: A RODENT SLAB will completely prevent rodents from burrowing under the foundation and enter your crawl space. Combined with general rodent exclusion, RODENT SLAB will provide a permanent solution for rodent problems and will keep your crawl space rodent free.
What is a “RODENT SLAB”?
A RODENT SLAB is a concrete poured slab in your crawl space that goes wall to wall. It covers and seals the entire ground of the crawl space.
Step 1 – Prepare, level, and smooth out the ground.
Step 2 – Install seam sealed vapor barrier to cover the entire slab area and to prevent moisture seepage.
Step 3 – Set and tie metal rebar structure over the entire crawl space to reinforce the concrete, allow longevity and create a strong sustainable slab.
Step 4 – Pour the concrete and smooth it out for optimal results. Most of our concrete slabs are mixed manually with concrete mixers at the job site in order to have enough time to smooth the slab out and to prevent a rough and bumpy slab.
When is a RODENT SLAB necessary for your home’s crawl space?
RODENT SLAB is usually required while facing a chronic rodent burrowing issue.
Old Foundation: It is mostly common in older houses where the foundation walls weren’t poured very deep, making it easy for rodents to burrow underneath.
Soil Condition: Areas with soft ground, saturated soil and high population of the “Norway rats” which are notoriously known for their digging skills.
Mixed Basement-Crawlspace Houses: Houses that their structure is part basement and part crawl space are very popular in the Seattle area. In this kind of structure, you will almost always find a shallow foundation that invites burrowing rats.
*Not every crawl space can have a rodent slab installed. If the clearance of the crawl space isn’t higher than 22”, a dig out of the crawl space and possibly foundation modifying will be required prior to the slab install.