I posted a comment in Donna’s blog about the leaks in my house from the very heavy rain last week. Two spots were especially bad — 3 buckets worth in the garage, and damaged drywall in the kitchen.
I spent the last two days on the roof over the garage. I started there because there is a big shade tree and I can work out of the sun most of the day. In fact, the shade tree was part of the problem — leaves had filled the gutter that runs along the wall and water had been diverted up out of the gutter onto the roof under the tiles. I cut out and replaced rotten wood, covered much of it with galvanized steel sheets and then tar paper before replacing the tiles. Oh yes, and I cut the tiles back a little so they don’t obstruct the gutter. Hopefully the leaves won’t accumulate so badly.
I was exhausted after two days on the roof (and the obligatory basketball game this morning), but with threats of rain tonight I dragged myself up on the roof over the kitchen. Hmm. Simple problem. Several tiles had slid down out of position. They should be nailed in place, but apparently the roofer had been in a hurry on this part of my roof. So for now, just putting them back in position should work, and I can worry about nailing them down when I have more energy.
But then I noticed a small, black, rat-sized piece of excrement (not “as big as a rat” but rather “the size a rat would produce”). Roof rats! They have been a problem in parts of the East Vally the past few years, but I hadn’t noticed any signs until now. And then it occurred to me that they are probably living under the tiles. And what’s better than a tile pushed out of position, leaving a nice access point. So now I need to keep watching to make sure they weren’t the ones pushing the tiles out of place. Maybe I blocked their front door, and they will just open it again. Sounds like it’s time to call an exterminator.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Mom // Jul 19, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Now I know why very few people want to own two houses in the East Valley? Do you plan to take on any more?
2 Mom // Jul 19, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Oh, yes, I forgot that you also have the responsibility of helping your aged mother. Right now, my TIVO promises to quit in two days, and my water filter is flashing yellow. I’m sure that I have more problems for you; I’ll try to think of them.
3 Richard // Jul 19, 2008 at 9:41 pm
We don’t have rats, but be do have mice. I bought a RatZapper last year while we were here and we still catch about 5 mice a week. I can’t find where they are getting in, but I have the RatZapper where they come up from underneath into the living quarters. It kills em quick and we almost never see traces of one anywhere else in the rig.
Sounds like you are working too hard for a retired guy.
4 Donna // Jul 20, 2008 at 8:21 am
Eeek!!! I’m terrified some day I’ll get roof rats. I have those lovely citrus trees that attract them so much. I think I would just have to go live in a hotel until I was sure they were all exterminated.
I read they can enter the house through a hole the size of a quarter.
You should file a report on the Maricopa County website. They track and help residents with the problem. (I found it through the tempe.gov search tool.)
5 Don // Jul 20, 2008 at 9:57 am
We had a possum once but no rats or mice. Ok, the possum was in the garage. Jenny found it while she was cleaning and wouldn’t go back in for weeks.
6 Donna // Jul 22, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Did you get any rain last night in that horrendous storm? Are all your leaks fixed?
Have you seen/heard any rats?
7 Dianna // Jul 24, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Let’s hope you’ve seen the last of those nasty critters! Mice are bad enough. I don’t want to see ANY rats.
8 Jocelyn // Jul 29, 2008 at 5:46 pm
could you encourage your kid to blog??