Finding out you have rodents or other critters living in your house can be an unsettling discovery. Mice and rats are dangerous because they can bite, bring fleas and disease into a home. They can create a toxic environment by defecating and urinating within the walls. Rodents like rats and mice do not need doors or windows to enter a house. A tiny hole as small as a finger ring is enough for the rodents to pass through and make an entry into your house.
Rodents also pose another danger
They easily make use of the sewage, water, gas and other essential pipes to enter your home. They can crawl or even swim through the pipes. They have the ability to chew through plastic water pipes in hard-to-reach places and let themselves in.
Several utility pipes are laid underground where rodents live. The color and texture of the pipes attract pests. These rodents may chew the pipes in order to keep their incisors sharp. They smell a much-needed water source and will work endlessly to access it. They may even smell food through the pipes.
Many water lines are now plastic, polymeric, PEX, or PVC pipe. Rodents can chew through these types of pipes easily. However, rodents have been known to gnaw even through metal pipes. The damage from rodents chewing through water pipes can be substantial and can occur either over time, or as one big “flood.”
The cost of rodent damage
Rodents chewing through your pipes can be costly. You can be paying for wasted leaking water. You may experience lower water pressure. These vermin can cause costly damage to pipes that need repaired. In severe cases they may cause water damage to your home.
When damage is slow, a small amount of water will continuously seep in spaces within the walls. This can cause a buildup of toxic mold. It can lead to the rotting of wooden beams. Drop by drop, the damage can accumulate over weeks. Eventually it can develop into a problem that can cost thousands of dollars to fix. All of this damage can happen right under your nose! You may not even be able to see what is happening deep inside the structure of your home.
Sometimes the slower damage can end up more costly than the “flash-flood” of a bursting pipe. It can go on for a very long time, getting worse and worse, without the homeowner even realizing it is happening inside their walls. Before long, there is major structural damage.
Sometimes, the rodents don’t even need to work hard
Sometimes, mice and rats can chew through water pipes that are already weak and worn out. Because the pipe is already fragile, the rodent damage can cause the pipe to burst, with large amounts of water loss occurring quickly and a rush of a flash flood in your home. A complete tsunami can run through your house and cause water damage to everything in its path.
Whether it is fast or slow, it is essential that if damage occurs, the pipes and structures be repaired immediately. Remember, especially with plumbing repairs, the sooner you are aware and the sooner it is repaired, the better off you will be. Being quick will help prevent the damage from becoming even more extensive and more costly. You need the help of an expert! Give us a call at Fite Plumbing. We’ve helped many clients in such situations and can help you, too with our 24/7/365 emergency response team. For a fast response, call the pros at Fite Plumbing at (317) 271-5400 to get your problems fixed in good time.
In addition, watch for a later post here that will give you tips and ideas for protecting your pipes from these pests! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Learn how to keep these rascals out of your home and away from your pipes!
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