Attic Cleaning in Van Nuys, CA

The Sepulveda Basin is a factor that sets Van Nuys apart from some other Valley cities. The basin’s 2,000-plus acres of parkland and wildlife habitat sustain substantial wildlife populations that do not recognize the boundary between the recreation area and the surrounding neighborhoods. Roof rats, in particular, are highly mobile, using the tree canopy and utility lines to travel from the basin into residential streets, and the homes closest to the basin, in the streets west of Sepulveda Boulevard and near the Woodley area, experience particularly consistent rodent pressure.

The LA River corridor on the eastern side adds a second axis of rodent activity. Between the river to the east and the basin to the west, the residential streets of Van Nuys effectively run through a rodent corridor rather than being at the edge of one, which is why rodent activity here is not concentrated in one section of the neighborhood but is relatively distributed throughout.

The postwar slab ranch homes that dominate Van Nuys have rooflines and eave constructions that develop characteristic gaps as they age. The thermal expansion and contraction cycles of Valley summers and winters loosen eave closures and create gaps at every roofline transition over decades. These entry points are typically not visible from the ground but are obvious during an attic inspection, and in homes that have never had rat-proofing work done, they are commonly found at multiple locations.