Rodent Control in Coral Gables, FL: Roof Rats Under the Canopy

Rodent Control in Coral Gables

Coral Gables' tree canopy is a highway for roof rats. Banyan limbs, live oaks and royal palms arch over streets and rooftops, and rats travel through them without touching the ground. Fruit trees like mango, avocado and citrus in many backyards give them food. Once on the roof, they look for gaps under barrel tiles, at wood soffits, around gable vents and where additions meet the original house. Power and cable lines running through the canopy give rats another route to the roof.

Historic homes built in the 1920s and '30s have charm, and also decades of repairs, attic vents and wood details that can open up over time. In Cocoplum and the waterfront neighborhoods, rats also travel along seawalls and docks and nest in palms and dense landscaping near the water. Detached garages, guest cottages and pool houses are common on larger Gables lots, and rats often settle there before moving into the main house. Dense hedges and ground cover give them protected runways along the foundation.

What We Treat for Rodent in Coral Gables

• Roof rats under barrel tiles and in attics
• Rats traveling banyans, oaks and palms
• Fruit trees in historic yards
• Seawalls and docks in Cocoplum
• Entry points at gable vents, soffits and additions

Historic Homes

We seal entry points with materials and methods suited to older homes, taking care with original tile, wood and stucco. We'll mark limbs to trim, ideally several feet from the roof, so your arborist knows exactly what matters. Gable vents, attic louvers and the decorative openings common on Mediterranean Revival homes are checked carefully, and screens are recommended where they're missing. Guest cottages and garages get the same inspection. In Cocoplum, docks, boat lifts and boat storage are part of the inspection, since rats chew cushions, lines and wiring. Palms near the seawall are checked for nests.

What to Expect on Your First Visit

We inspect first. We walk the roofline, check tile ends, gable vents and limbs over the roof, inspect the attic where accessible and set traps that day. Cocoplum owners get docks and seawalls checked. Pool houses are inspected as well.