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Rodents Could Be Using Your Car For Warmth In The Winter
Creatures lurking inside your car! On cold winter nights, four-legged creatures might be tempted to use your car as a place to warm up.
Under the hood could be a most unwelcome rodent visitor.
"Home sweet home," teased mechanic Damon Andrew. "It's not something we see a lot but when we do see rats and mice in cars, it's something that can cause thousands of dollars in damage."
Mechanics say the rats/mice are attracted to the warmth of the car's engine. They start by crawling into the engine through open holes or spaces under the hood, and they don't stop there. Once in your engine, the rats head straight for the interior.
"And although this is solid," said Andrew pointing to the firewall near the engine, "the rats will actually eat through this. It's incredible."
The rats will claw and chew through the firewall into the dashboard, damaging wiring and not stopping until they've made a cozy nest out of one of your passenger seats.
"We've actually seen a vehicle totaled because of the damage the rat caused," said Andrew. "It ate through the firewall into the car, ate all the wiring behind the dashboard and when the professional pest control team did find the rat, they actually found him inside the seat. He had built a nest inside and underneath the car seat."
Mechanics say the rats/mice are most likely to make your car their home if you leave your car parked for an extended period of time. They suggest moving it regularly, especially if it's parked near a tree or carport. It's also most likely to happen during cold weather.
If you do have rats in your car it will take a couple steps to get rid of them. Your mechanic will fix the damage they cause, but you'll also have to call pest control to find, trap and remove the rodent.
The good news is that rat damage is usually covered by most car insurance.
Rodents Could Be Using Your Car For Warmth In The Winter
Creatures lurking inside your car! On cold winter nights, four-legged creatures might be tempted to use your car as a place to warm up.
Under the hood could be a most unwelcome rodent visitor.
"Home sweet home," teased mechanic Damon Andrew. "It's not something we see a lot but when we do see rats and mice in cars, it's something that can cause thousands of dollars in damage."
Mechanics say the rats/mice are attracted to the warmth of the car's engine. They start by crawling into the engine through open holes or spaces under the hood, and they don't stop there. Once in your engine, the rats head straight for the interior.
"And although this is solid," said Andrew pointing to the firewall near the engine, "the rats will actually eat through this. It's incredible."
The rats will claw and chew through the firewall into the dashboard, damaging wiring and not stopping until they've made a cozy nest out of one of your passenger seats.
"We've actually seen a vehicle totaled because of the damage the rat caused," said Andrew. "It ate through the firewall into the car, ate all the wiring behind the dashboard and when the professional pest control team did find the rat, they actually found him inside the seat. He had built a nest inside and underneath the car seat."
Mechanics say the rats/mice are most likely to make your car their home if you leave your car parked for an extended period of time. They suggest moving it regularly, especially if it's parked near a tree or carport. It's also most likely to happen during cold weather.
If you do have rats in your car it will take a couple steps to get rid of them. Your mechanic will fix the damage they cause, but you'll also have to call pest control to find, trap and remove the rodent.
The good news is that rat damage is usually covered by most car insurance.
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