Why do I hear scratching in my walls?

Few sounds are as unsettling as when you hear a scratching noise in the ceiling at night. You struggle to fall back to sleep as you consider the possible source of the scratching. Could it be raccoons? Squirrels? Snakes?

Even if you knew which nocturnal creature was responsible for interrupting your sleep, there’s not much you can do about it in the middle of the night. The best thing for Florida residents to do is to schedule a free home evaluation with an experienced pest control company such as Nozzle Nolen. In the meantime, here’s a guide to figuring out what type of critter has invaded your home, steps for getting rid of it, and ways to keep such unwanted guests from returning.

Scratching Noise in the Ceiling: The Usual Suspects

All types of animals will occasionally attempt to take up residence inside a Florida abode. They may be trying to escape the summer heat, avoid predators, or find a cozy place to raise a family. They’re also drawn indoors by their never-ending search for food.

When you hear scratching sounds emanating from your walls or ceiling during the daytime, the culprit is most likely a rodent.  Their scampering sound may be heard in walls and crawl spaces as well as in ceilings.

While mice or rats are most likely, other possible invaders that are active in the daytime are birds, which make flapping and chirping sounds, and snakes, which you may hear slithering in your ceilings or walls.

However, most home-invading animals are nocturnal.

• Raccoons are most active at night but may be heard in the daytime as well. Heavy walking, thumping, adult squeals, and baby raccoon chatter are clear signs of raccoons in the house.
• Rats and mice may be heard scurrying overhead or inside walls at nighttime, especially soon after sunset. You’re most likely to hear them running and scampering rather than scratching or squealing.
• Bats are often not heard at all when they take up residence in your attic, although you may hear them chirping right around sunset.
• Possums, or Opossums, don’t vocalize at all, but you may hear these large, slow marsupials lumbering around your attic.
• Flying squirrels differ from their ground-based counterparts in being most active at night. When they nest in attics, they may sound like rats, but unlike rats and mice, they will rarely be heard in walls.

Positively identifying the animal species that’s making the scratching noise in the ceiling at night requires a visual inspection. A pest-control expert will find clues that indicate the source of the sounds even if critters themselves can’t be spotted.

What to Do When You Hear Scratching in Your Ceiling

The first step in finding the source of the scratching sound is to determine whether it’s caused by an animal or some part of your house that has come loose. If the sound is regular and predictable, it’s probably not made by an animal. Look for a piece of siding or gutter that has come loose in the wind. 

Sounds that come and go unpredictably are more likely to be made by rodents or other nocturnal animals. Once you’ve confirmed that the mystery noise isn’t caused by a loose pipe or other structural problem, it’s time to contact a pest control service to ask about an evaluation.

No matter the four-legged invader, clearing your home of the scratching nuisance isn’t as easy as opening a door or window and inviting them out. So here are the steps involved in ridding your home of furry, four-legged invaders:

• Rodent traps remain one of the most popular ways to rid a home of mice and rats, but some traps are more effective than others. Professional rodent-control services will determine the best approach for your situation, which may entail using live traps or non-lethal baiting tactics to find the nest.
• Rodenticides are placed in bait traps and come in pellet or putty form. However, these traps can pose a threat to pets and small children. All pesticides are regulated by the EPA and state agencies.

Once the animals have been removed, you need to monitor your home for signs of unwanted animal guests returning and perform a top-to-bottom inspection to identify and eliminate all potential entry points for the varmints. 

Pest exclusion is the best method for preventing pests in the first place or keeping them out once they have been removed. Sealing up cracks, vents, holes, etc., is part of the process of making sure that your home stays pest-free.

A pest exclusion tunnel is a great way to keep rodents out.

The pest-removal services provided by Nozzle Nolen include all necessary follow-up care as well as a complete inspection and assessment of your residence to identify potential risks of a future infestation, such as:

• Damage to interior and exterior walls.
• Disruptions to HVAC equipment or insulation.
• Droppings, odors, or sounds indicating the presence of pests.
• Water leaks or accumulation.

Getting Started With Nozzle Nolen

Nozzle Nolen’s 365 Complete Home Protection plan is a one-stop resource that protects your home year-round from more than 20 invasive pests, including Subterranean and Drywood termites, bees and wasps, silverfish, spiders, and rodents. 

Nozzle Nolen has provided expert pest control services to South Florida residents for more than 70 years. So, if you are hearing a scratching noise in your ceiling or walls, give us a call at 800.226.6536, or Contact Us. We look forward to serving you.

Becoming a homeowner means welcoming house problems with open arms and solving them. After all, you would not want to waste time eradicating such delicate issues. Some houses can be so problematic that you will witness other problems arising if you don't take necessary actions quickly.

This will become a domino effect, and we don't want that. One of the common house problems many homeowners face is disturbing noises. You will hear these disturbing noises from time to time in your house.

For example, you may hear rattling noises in your air conditioning or heating system. However, those typically arise due to technical issues. But what if you hear scratching noises within the walls of the house? Fear not; it won't be a ghost!

Typically, this scratching noise in wall is due to a rodent or critter infestation. If this noise continues a few nights longer, you will have a problem. Then, you will have to contact a critter control company and have the house inspected to find out the culprit.

But which critter can create these noises? Let's find out in detail:

Causes of Scratching Noise in Wall

Scratching in walls can be caused by many wildlife creatures. You may hear squeaking, thumping, slithering, or chirping along with scratching sounds. Usually, animals scratch when they want to build nests, walkaround, or store food.

Unfortunately, linking this sound to a particular critter isn't easy. The volume of scratching won't determine the size of the animal. However, some critters are more likely to be the culprit than others regarding the scratching noise in wall.

The most common critters to make these scratching noises are:

1.     Squirrels

Squirrels can easily get trapped inside the house. When there are squirrels in walls, you will hear noises as squirrels are active during the daytime. So, you may hear disturbing noises in your waking hours if the house is squirrel infested.

Moreover, squirrels tend to move randomly, resulting in inconsistent sounds. Furthermore, you may also find squirrel droppings in your house. These droppings will be lighter in color than mouse or rat droppings.

2.     Mice

Another common culprit that produces scratching noise in wall is mice. In fact, they are a common reason why noise ensues from the ceilings. Other than scratching noises, you will hear their skittering – light footsteps as they run around the house.

Another big giveaway is that you may hear chewing or gnawing sounds that indicate that your house is mouse infested. Typically, mice are more active at night. However, if they are looking for food, they will move about in daytime as well.

You will hear the mice in walls sound at day or nighttime. But it is most common when the house is quiet, and the mice feel safe and away from danger.

3.     Rats

Like mice, rats can also be the reason behind the scratching noise in wall occur. They also chew on food packages and other items. So, when you see bite marks on packaging, be prepared for the possibility of rat infestation.

You will hear scratching noises at night as rats are more active at night. Moreover, rats tend to leave urine tracks no matter where they go. This urine smell can be intense. So, if you experience foul odors along with scratching noises, chances are you have a rat problem.

4.     Raccoons

Although raccoons are large enough to sneak their way into your house, they can still slip through. The baby or small raccoons can easily make their way inside through gaps and get trapped in your attic or other places of your house.

Since raccoons are pretty larger than rats, mice, and squirrels, you will be hearing lots of noises and other sounds showing an animal in distress. With that said, it will be easier for you to find out which critter has infested your house.

5.     Bats

Another reason for scratching noise in wall is bats. Like other rodents, bats can carry numerous diseases. However, the scariest prospect is that they can fly. Just like other animals, bats can make scratching noises in your attic or other places of the house.

However, remember that bats are relatively quiet. In fact, homeowners wouldn't even know that bats have infested their houses for years. But most likely, homeowners find out about their presence when they start falling behind the walls.

Juvenile bats tend to fall more often into the wall crevices when they initially learn how to move around. These nocturnal creatures usually make scratching noises at night. When they fall behind the wall, they become disoriented. And if they can’t fly, they will try to climb to get out while scratching on the walls.

What to Do When You Hear Scratching Noise in Wall?

If you have heard scratching noises in the walls of your house but haven’t yet seen any critters, the best thing to do is call a Critter Removal company. The professionals will come out and inspect your house. Remember that although these critters may look harmless, like mice, they can host multiple diseases.

Even the sweet-looking raccoons can become aggressive. And although bats don’t bite unless provoked, the last thing you want to face is an injury. It is best not to trap these creatures yourself to keep yourself safe. Let the professionals do the work.

Critter Stop has the right equipment to deal with all kinds of critters. We will define the type of infestation in your house and how to address it. If there is a rodent infestation like mice or rats, we will likely use glue traps or other traps.

We will also determine all the entry points and seal them so that the critters won’t go back inside. If there is raccoon infestation, you will need animal control, where the professionals will come and work to remove them from your house. We will also give you tips on how to keep these critters away.

How to Keep These Unwanted Visitors Away?

After determining the animal or critter problem, you don’t want it to repeat. To put a full stop to future infestations, do the following:

·        Inspect your house for any holes or gaps that could welcome these pests. The critter control company will help identify these entry points for you to seal them.

·        Keep the gutters free of debris. Also, stop leaving scraps of food around the house.

·        Don't leave pet food out during the night.

·        Secure the garbage cans and bags, especially when there’s food inside them.

·        Use a mesh screen to cover the chimney. It will help you avoid any future squirrel infestations.

Conclusion

Scratching noise in the wall is common. For this purpose, you must have the right critter removal company. Keep your house safe from all kinds of critters. Remember, don’t wait for long to have these pesky animals removed. The more time you take, the more costly the removal will become.

The best in town is Critter Stop. The company specializes in removing all kinds of critters. From bats, squirrels, mice, to raccoons, you name it, and the company will eliminate them for you.

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