Home / Our Process
Inspect, Remove, Seal, Protect — That's the Whole Job
Six steps from first call to confirmed clear. No guesswork, no skipped steps, no trapping before exclusion. Here is exactly what happens when you call us and why each step matters.
The sequence and completeness of the process is what separates a treatment that holds from one that requires repeating. Specifically: exclusion before trapping is the step that makes the difference. A company that traps without sealing entry points removes the animals currently inside while allowing new ones to enter through the same gaps. The problem returns. The homeowner calls again.
Step 1: Phone Triage (Before the First Visit)
The first conversation is not a sales call. It’s an intake. We ask about what you’re hearing, where in the house, and at what time of night, because timing tells us species before we ever set foot on your property. We ask whether you have pets or children, whether you’ve set traps or used bait, and whether there’s any visible exterior damage or recent storm activity.
This shapes what our technician focuses on during the inspection. It means we arrive prepared rather than starting cold. We also ask about kids and pets before any work begins, not after.
At the end of this call, we give you a confirmed service window and tell you if timing might change. You won’t be given a 6-hour window and left guessing.
What you tell us:
- Sound location and timing (ceiling vs walls, night vs day)
- Any droppings found, where and what size
- Pets and children in the home
- Prior treatment attempts (traps, bait, previous company)
- Any recent storm damage or visible exterior changes
Step 2: Full Inspection and Photo Mapping (First Visit, 60–90 Minutes)
This is the most important step and the one most commonly shortchanged by general pest companies. We walk the full exterior roofline and check every soffit panel by hand, not from the ground. We inspect every roof vent cover, every utility penetration, every fascia board return, and every area where the roofline meets any structural change.
Then we enter the attic and document the interior: droppings location and density, travel routes compressed into insulation, nesting sites, rub marks on rafters and joists, urine saturation areas, and any wiring damage visible during the inspection.
At ground level, we check the foundation perimeter, garage threshold, AC chase penetration, and any other potential ground-level entry for Norway rats or house mice. Interior inspection covers kitchen cabinets and under-sink areas when mouse evidence is present.
Every entry point found is photographed and rated: immediate (seal before any trapping), moderate (seal this visit), or monitor (check on return visit). You see the full list before any work begins.
What gets checked:
- Full roofline perimeter, every soffit panel by hand
- All roof vent covers and utility penetrations
- Fascia board condition at all corners and eave returns
- Attic interior: droppings, travel routes, nesting, rub marks, wiring
- Foundation weep holes and ground-level gaps (Norway rat)
- Garage threshold and wall-to-slab junction
- Kitchen and cabinet areas when mouse evidence is present
Step 3: Written Estimate Before Any Work Begins
After the inspection, you receive a written quote showing: the exclusion scope (each entry point to be sealed, with material listed), trap placement, return visit, and any cleanup assessment if warranted. Each line is itemized. The inspection fee is credited toward any work you approve.
If the scope changes during the job, for example, an additional entry point is discovered during roofline work, we discuss it with you before proceeding. No additions at the end that weren’t discussed first.
Step 4: Exclusion First, Then Trapping
This is the step that makes the treatment permanent, and the step most general pest companies skip or do poorly.
We seal every confirmed entry point using materials appropriate for the opening type and for Florida’s climate. We do not use foam, foam deteriorates in heat and humidity and rats chew through it, which is the most common reason treatments fail in Hernando County. We use stainless steel hardware cloth secured to structural elements, metal flashing at fascia gaps, fitted galvanized vent guards replacing deteriorated screens, and copper mesh at utility penetrations.
Each sealed entry point is photographed after completion. This is the photo record you’ll receive in the written report.
Exclusion is completed before any traps are placed. Trapping before exclusion removes animals inside while leaving the gaps open for replacement animals to enter from outside. This is not negotiable.
Materials used by opening type:
- Soffit gaps: 1/4-inch stainless hardware cloth fastened to rafter tail
- Roof vent screens: fitted galvanized vent guard, screwed to frame
- Fascia gaps: metal flashing bridging gap at corner returns
- Utility penetrations: copper mesh packed tight, caulk seal
- Foundation weep holes: stainless mesh inserts allowing drainage
- Kitchen pipe gaps: copper mesh plus caulk finish
Step 5: Mechanical Trapping in Active Zones
After all external entry points are sealed, we place snap traps in the attic and any other confirmed active areas. Trap placement is based on the travel routes and rub marks documented during the inspection, not standard positions. The rub marks tell us exactly where rats are moving most frequently, and that’s where the traps go.
No rodenticide bait is placed inside the structure on any job we do. We use mechanical trapping only. Before we leave, we tell you exactly what was placed and where, and when each area is safe to access normally.
Step 6: Return Visit and 90-Day Protection (Day 7–10)
We return within 7 to 10 days of the initial job. We clear traps, document what was caught, and check for any new activity evidence in the attic, fresh droppings, new rub marks, disturbance in exclusion materials. We verify the exterior exclusion is intact and confirm no sealed entry point has been displaced.
If the exclusion is holding and no new activity is present, the job is complete. The written photo report is delivered, every sealed entry point photographed with before-and-after, every trap location documented, any wiring damage flagged for electrician follow-up, and attic cleanup assessment if warranted.
The 90-day return protection: If rodents return within 90 days of our exclusion work, we come back at no charge. No exceptions, no qualifying conditions, no fine print about “new infestations.” The 90-day period covers any activity related to the original access points we sealed.
What the Written Photo Report Gives You
The report is not a receipt. It’s a document of the work.
Entry Point Documentation
Before photo showing the gap. After photo showing the sealed material in place. Location description for each. This shows what was done and where, so if a question comes up six months later, you have the answer.
Activity Map
Description of where droppings were found, where travel routes were compressed, and where nesting was located. This establishes the infestation extent at the time of treatment.
Wiring Damage Notation
Any visible wiring damage is photographed and described. The report notes whether an electrician inspection is recommended and documents specifically which location shows gnaw damage. This is the documentation your insurer may ask for.
Cleanup Recommendation
Honest zone-by-zone assessment of insulation condition. Which zones need HEPA cleaning only. Which zones show contamination warranting replacement consideration. A recommendation based on what we found, not a default upsell.
What if a previous company failed? The most useful information for us is what the previous company did, specifically whether they completed any exclusion work, what materials they used, and whether they provided any documentation. If the entry points were treated with foam, we remove and replace that material with hardware cloth. If exclusion was never done at all, we start from the inspection and build the full scope. We’ll tell you specifically why the prior treatment failed based on what we find during inspection, in specific terms about your home.
FAQ
Our Process
How long does the initial inspection and exclusion visit take?
The first visit typically runs 60 to 90 minutes for an average Spring Hill home, inspection, estimate, exclusion, and trap placement. Larger homes with complex rooflines can run longer. We’ll give you an accurate time estimate during the phone triage based on what you describe.
Do I need to be home during the service?
For the first visit, yes, or someone who can authorize the estimate and point us to the attic hatch and any areas of concern. For the return visit at 7 to 10 days, we can sometimes arrange access independently depending on your property layout. We’ll discuss what works best during the initial call.
What should I do before the technician arrives?
Clear access to the attic hatch if possible. Leave droppings in place if you’ve found them, we want to see the evidence location. If you’ve already set traps, note where they are. If you have a garage, unlock it so we can check the walls and threshold. No other preparation is required.
How will I know when the problem is resolved?
The return visit at 7 to 10 days is the first checkpoint. If no new activity evidence is present and the exclusion is intact, the job is confirmed complete. In the weeks after, the most reliable indicator at home is silence, the absence of the nocturnal sounds that prompted the call. If the ceiling has been quiet for two weeks since the exclusion was completed, the problem is resolved.
Free Estimate
Speak to a Hernando County Rodent Specialist
Inspection, exclusion, trapping, and a written photo report, with 90-day return protection on all exclusion work.
- Full roofline and attic inspection, documented with photos
- Entry points sealed with stainless steel, never foam
- Mechanical trapping only, no poison bait inside your home
Rodent Shield Springhill · Serving all of Hernando County · Mon–Sat 8am–6pm