Chipmunks invade Shrewsbury, NJ crawl space
Challenge
I was recently sent to a dispatched to a home in Shrewsbury, NJ, because of chipmunk issues in their crawl space.
This was a somewhat unusual infestation. Chipmunks, like squirrels, are in the rodent family. Of the two, squirrel infestations are far more common. Since squirrels are arboreal, they usually invade homes through an entry point in the roof, soffits, or fascia boards to gain access to the attic. Chipmunks, on the other hand, are ground-dwelling. If you find yourself with a chipmunk problem, it will probably be just like this one — where the little critters enter a basement or crawl space through some gap or opening around the foundation.
Chipmunks are solitary animals that spend most of their time in underground burrows. It is rare for them to venture outside their familiar habitat and venture inside buildings, but as this homeowner found out, it can and does happen. These rodents usually become a nuisance because of their burrowing activity. They are notorious for causing structural damage to patios and foundations or damaging gardens.
Solution
This homeowner had already sealed up their entry point. He contacted Cowleys to deal with the aftermath. Most any wildlife that has taken up residence in a home will leave a huge mess of droppings and nesting materials. We hepa-vacced the entire crawl space, and then sanitized and deodorized it. When done, the crawl space looked as good as new!
We can’t emphasize enough that wildlife droppings in an enclosed area are a dangerous biohazard. If the dried out droppings are disturbed, they can release airborne particles that may contain infectious pathogens. Rodent droppings often contain numerous diseases including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Please — never enter an enclosed area where there has been wildlife activity unless you are wearing proper personal protective equipment.
Chipmunks are are fun to observe outside of our homes, but once inside, it’s a whole different ballgame.
