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Can anybody find a solution for semi detached?

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  • 25-07-2014 3:14pm
    #1
    Lucyspell
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭


    Hello

    Our situation is this - we are in a semi detached 1970's house, typical 3bed semi with garage extension. We have lived here over 25 years, and have done quite a lot of updating etc on the house. We have not insulated the wall cavity, but we have double glazing and large windows, so prefer not to have the beaded or pumped in insulation. There is no damp problem, and we would be nervous of causing any dampness to occur.

    For the past few years the house next door has been rented. Recently we had very careless neighbours, storing kitchen rubbish, constantly overflowing and uncollected rubbish bins, if you get the picture. Thankfully they have gone now, leaving the house in a bad state.

    In April after they left, the owner got her cavity walls filled with insulation. And thankfully, new tenants, who are quiet and clean.

    In late May/ early June, a rat died in our upstairs bedroom wall. This is the first time in 25 years that this has occurred. It has been horrendous! For weeks the bedroom has been unusable.
    Then last Monday there was a rat in our back garden. I immediately phoned a well known exterminating company, who have put down poison boxes in our garden.
    The problem is that the neighbour refuses to believe there is a problem with rats in her cavities. We have checked and there is no way in anywhere in our house. Is there any way at all of separating our cavities from the ones next door?
    One builder I spoke to said it is impossible, as it would bridge the damp proof between inner and outer walls.

    I was thinking that there must be some solution to this. Perhaps a very mini type barbed wire type thing, dropped down vertically from roof to ground inside the walls.
    Can anyone suggest anything. I am sure we have a live infestation of rats in the wall cavities, as I can smell a nasty sort of aroma around the bedroom windows.
    Grateful for any suggestions.
    Thank you.
    Lucy


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    #2
    baby fish
    Registered Users Posts: 265 ✭✭baby fish


    Never heard of anything that can be dropped into the cavity and I doubt it exists either. If you want to block your cavity the easiest way is to pump your cavity with insulation . You seem to be not so keen on this (Im not a huge fan of pumped cavities either) but its probably the only way to fully fill your cavity.

    you think your cavity is connected to your neighbours and you are trying to separate them now? then there was no way that the insulation pumped into your neighbours cavity could have been kept out of yours, so part of your cavity is most likely partially full of your neighbours insulation too!

    If you are sure there isn't an entrance in your property for the rat then I'd say its most likely that the rat was using somewhere in your neighbours wall as its entrance in and out of the cavity and this was blocked after the cavity was pumped, with no way out the rat was trapped and it simply died. Hopefully no more rats will come in now the cavity is pumped and if the new tenants are tidier with their rubbish - then rats shouldn't be attracted to the area

    There might be some rats still in your cavity/attic now( they live in groups) but If you have an infestation of rats in your house you will hear them gnawing on things to wear down their teeth, especially at night when everything is quiet you will hear them. I rented a house once and 2 rats moved into the attic . They are very loud, no mistaking they are there.

    If they are in your attic make sure you use a live trap to catch them, don't use rat poison or they will stink when they die too. They are very clever and hard to get rid off, it can take a few weeks! keep the bait fresh and after a while you will eventually catch them.

    I wouldn't be too worried about a rat in your back garden, they are all over the place. If you keep your garden clean of rubbish and clear of places to hide - they wont live near your house, if your neighbours do the same they will stay away too.


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