Rodent Control in Bernal Heights
Bernal Heights is mostly small houses on a hill, some Victorian and Edwardian, many built as workers' homes after the 1906 earthquake when the hilltop pastures were developed. The bedrock held up well in the quake, so a lot of older buildings here survived. A few of the city's temporary earthquake cottages still stand on the hill.
Old, small houses on steep lots mean crawl spaces, retaining walls and backyards that step up the hill. Those are good places for rats to live.
Crawl Spaces and Retaining Walls
On a hillside lot, the downhill side of the house often sits up on a crawl space with vents or open framing. Norway rats like that space. Retaining walls with gaps and loose stone give them places to burrow. A rodent inspection should cover the crawl space and the base of any retaining walls as well as the inside of the house.
- Crawl space vents and access doors
- Gaps in old retaining walls
- Ivy and dense plants on the slope
Gardens on the Hill
Bernal backyards tend to be planted. Vines, fruit trees and compost are all good for roof rats. UC IPM recommends pulling ivy, star jasmine and honeysuckle off fences and walls, and keeping compost in closed bins. Our ivy and fruit tree guide has the details.
Around Bernal Heights: Bernal Heights Park · Cortland Avenue · Bernal Heights Branch Library
Questions We Get
There's a rat living under my deck. Is that a big deal?
It can be, since decks are close to the house. Look for burrows and droppings, keep food and compost sealed and have the deck and the wall behind it checked.
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