Running above the ceiling
Quick footsteps or scratching after dark, in an attic or above a condo drop ceiling. Roof rats are most active a few hours after sunset.
Scratching over a condo ceiling on Singer Island or droppings in a mainland garage near Blue Heron Boulevard? Florida Rodent Control Pros removes rats and mice from Riviera Beach homes and businesses, from waterfront buildings along the Lake Worth Lagoon to the older houses near Old Riviera Beach and the warehouses by the Port of Palm Beach. We find how they get in, seal it, and remove the rodents already inside.
Rodent problem right now? Our team is taking calls in Riviera Beach.
Call (561) 562-7607Riviera Beach sits on both sides of the Lake Worth Lagoon, with Singer Island forming the barrier island half of the city and the older mainland neighborhoods on the other side of the water. The Port of Palm Beach, a working cargo port, sits right in the middle of town. Warm weather all year and a mix of waterfront condos, older single family homes and industrial buildings give rats plenty of places to live.
On Singer Island, roof rats and Norway rats move along seawalls, landscaping and balconies, then find gaps around utility penetrations, roof access hatches and parking garage levels. Along the mainland, in the older homes near Blue Heron Boulevard and City Hall, rats get into soffits, attic vents and crawl spaces on houses built from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Near the Port of Palm Beach and the industrial corridor along Broadway Avenue, Norway rats are common around loading docks, pallets and dumpsters, which is a different job from a condo unit or a single family home. We inspect each property based on what type of building it is, not a one size fits all plan.
Most Riviera Beach jobs combine a few of these: an inspection, sealing, trapping and cleanup. Choose a service to learn more, or call and we will tell you what your property needs.
Rodents move at night, so most Riviera Beach residents find these clues before they ever see one. If you notice 2 or more, it is time for an inspection.
Quick footsteps or scratching after dark, in an attic or above a condo drop ceiling. Roof rats are most active a few hours after sunset.
Dark pellets about 1/2 inch long point to rats. Tiny ones about 1/8 inch point to mice.
Rats gnaw on wiring, AC insulation and irrigation lines. This can lead to shorts, leaks and costly repairs.
Chewed food bags near a dumpster enclosure or in a kitchen pantry are a common sign near the port and along Blue Heron Boulevard.
Urine and nesting material leave a sharp odor, often strongest in closets, cabinets and the attic hatch or storage room.
Dogs or cats staring at a wall, sniffing under appliances or pawing at a cabinet often sense rodents first.
Roof rats cause most attic and condo calls on Singer Island, Norway rats show up near the Lake Worth Lagoon seawalls, the Port of Palm Beach and mainland canals, and house mice get into kitchens and pantries. Knowing which one you have tells us where to look and how to stop it.
Every job in Riviera Beach starts with a full inspection, inside and out. We look for how rodents get in, where they live, and what is feeding them.
Trapping alone does not fix the problem if the openings stay open. We close the way in first, then remove the rodents already inside.
The CDC links rats and mice to several diseases. People can get sick from contact with droppings, urine or saliva, from bites, or from breathing dust from contaminated areas.
Source: CDC rodent control and cleanup guidance.
In Florida, pest control companies are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes. Rodent work falls under the General Household Pest and rodent control category.
Our team is EPA and FDACS certified. Call (561) 562-7607 with any questions.
We look at the whole property, from the roofline to the seawall. What we check depends on how the building is built, since a Singer Island high rise and a mainland house from the 1950s have very different weak spots.
A rat can squeeze through a gap about 1/2 inch wide, and a mouse through about 1/4 inch.
Setting traps without sealing the openings only buys time. We follow the same 5 steps on every job so the rats do not come back.
We walk the property, check the attic or roof access, and mark every entry point and sign of activity.
Openings are closed with metal flashing, 1/4 inch hardware cloth, mesh and mortar. We do not rely on foam.
Traps go on the paths rats use. We check them on return visits and remove what we catch.
Droppings and nests are removed and the area is disinfected. We tell you if insulation needs replacing.
We come back until there are no new signs, then give you simple tips to keep it that way.
The number of visits depends on how many rats are inside and how many openings the property has. We tell you what to expect after the first inspection.
According to the CDC, rats and mice can spread disease through their droppings, urine, saliva and bites. These are the main concerns.
Can spread when dust from dried droppings or urine is stirred up and breathed in. This is why you should never sweep droppings.
Spread through water or soil that has rodent urine in it. Standing water after heavy rain near the lagoon can be a concern.
Food and counters touched by rodents or their droppings can carry salmonella bacteria.
Spread by bites or scratches, or by handling rodents. Always use gloves or tools, never bare hands.
Rodents carry fleas and mites that can move to pets and people after the rodents are gone.
Chewed wires can start fires, and chewed water or AC lines can cause leaks inside walls or condo units below.
A lot of common advice makes a rat problem last longer. Here is what actually works.
A single mouse in the kitchen can sometimes be handled with a few snap traps. Rats in an attic or along a seawall are a different job.
The problem with DIY: most store-bought fixes catch rats but leave the openings in place, so new rats move in from nearby landscaping, the lagoon or a shared building wall.
Ask a technician →| Situation | DIY | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| One mouse seen once | Snap traps may be enough | Call if it comes back |
| Noises in the attic or ceiling | Hard to reach and seal safely | Roofline sealing and attic trapping |
| Droppings in several rooms | Usually means many rodents | Full inspection and plan |
| Chewed wires or AC lines | Risk of fire or leaks | Find the source and seal it |
| Rats along a seawall or dock | Burrows are hard to find and close | Ground level inspection and sealing |
| Rodents near a loading dock or dumpster | Bait alone does not stop new rats moving in | Exclusion plus scheduled service |
From condo units and townhomes on Singer Island to single family houses on the mainland near Old Riviera Beach and Blue Heron Boulevard, each property has its own weak spots. We look at the roofline, attic or roof access, seawall or yard, garage and landscaping, then seal the openings rats are using.
We check soffits, vents and roof edges, then walk you through what we found.
Openings are closed with metal flashing, hardware cloth and mortar, not foam alone.
Indoor trapping avoids dead rodents in the walls and keeps bait away from kids and pets.
We remove droppings and nests and tell you if insulation should be replaced.
The Port of Palm Beach sits inside the city, and warehouses, marine businesses and shipping operations near it deal with regular deliveries, pallets and dumpsters that can draw Norway rats. Restaurants and shops along Blue Heron Boulevard and around the Riviera Beach Marina have the same daily door traffic and shared dumpster issues as any commercial strip. Florida restaurants are inspected by the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants, and signs of rodents are something inspectors look for.
Regular visits to check traps and stations, planned around your business hours.
A record of each visit that you can show a manager or inspector.
Door sweeps and gaps at docks and walls closed with rodent-proof materials.
Simple changes to dumpster areas and pallet storage that make your site less attractive to rats.
Riviera Beach has waterfront high rises, older mainland houses and industrial buildings near the port, all in a small area. The way a property is built tells us where to look first.
Riviera Beach is a small city with very different areas. Here is what we usually check first in each one.
Condo towers and townhomes along the Atlantic side of the barrier island, near Blue Heron Bridge and Phil Foster Park. We check roof access, balconies and landscaping against the building.
Warehouses, cargo operations and shipping businesses along Broadway Avenue. Norway rats gather near loading docks, pallets and dumpsters.
Boats, docks and waterfront dining and retail near the marina. Norway rats burrow along seawalls and around shared dumpster areas.
Older mainland single family homes near City Hall and Blue Heron Boulevard. Roof rats use soffit gaps and attic vents on houses from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Newer construction and mixed residential blocks closer to I-95. We still check garage doors, AC line gaps and roof edges first.
Riviera Beach has a tropical climate with a wet season from May to October and a milder, drier season from November to April. Rodents stay active all year, but the weather changes where they go.
Heavy rain floods burrows near the Lake Worth Lagoon and low-lying yards, pushing Norway rats toward garages, sheds and dumpster pads.
Tip: Keep garage doors closed and clear stored items off the floor.
Storm winds can open new gaps in soffits and roof edges on both Singer Island buildings and mainland homes. Riviera Beach has also seen severe local storms before, including an August 2003 tornado that damaged dozens of homes in the Palm Beach Gardens and Riviera Beach area.
Tip: After any strong storm, walk around the property and check the roofline.
On cooler nights, rats look for warm, dry attics and building mechanical rooms. This is when many residents first hear them overhead.
Tip: Check vents, roof hatches and soffits in the fall, before cooler weather.
Year-round shipping activity at the Port of Palm Beach and boat traffic at the marina mean Norway rats have a steady food source near loading docks and trash areas.
Tip: Keep dumpster lids closed and report gaps around dock boxes.
Sealing the openings does most of the work. These habits help keep new rodents from moving in.
Riviera Beach is not one kind of property. What we do at a Singer Island condo is different from what we do at a warehouse near the port or a house near Blue Heron Boulevard.
Condo and townhome buildings on Singer Island give rats a way in through roof access hatches, mechanical rooms and landscaping planted against the building.
Our approach: We inspect the roof access points and shared mechanical areas, seal gaps with metal and hardware cloth, then trap where activity is confirmed.
Warehouses and shipping buildings near the port draw Norway rats with pallets, dumpsters and steady deliveries.
Our approach: We inspect the loading dock and storage areas, then set scheduled bait stations and seal ground-level entry points.
Single family homes built from the 1940s through the 1970s often have soffit gaps, old attic vents and rotted fascia boards that give roof rats an easy way in.
Our approach: We check the roofline and attic first, seal the openings we find, then trap indoors until activity stops.
These steps follow CDC cleanup guidance and help keep your family safe.
Call (561) 562-7607These are the ZIP codes we serve most in and around Riviera Beach. Call if you do not see yours.
Singer Island · Port of Palm Beach · Broadway Avenue corridor · Riviera Beach Marina · Ocean Mall · Old Riviera Beach · Blue Heron Boulevard corridor · West Riviera Beach
“Florida Rodent Control Pros found a gap around our roof access hatch on Singer Island that two other companies missed. Haven’t heard a thing since.”
Maria K.Riviera Beach, FL
Verified“Prompt, professional and thorough. They sealed the openings at our warehouse near the port and set up a scheduled visit plan.”
David R.Riviera Beach, FL
Verified“I appreciated how they explained everything before starting. No more scratching in the attic of our house near Blue Heron Boulevard.”
Tanya L.Riviera Beach, FL
VerifiedHave a question that is not listed? Call and a team member will help.
Call (561) 562-7607 →Most properties need a first visit for the inspection and sealing, then follow-up visits over the next few weeks to check traps. The exact number depends on how many rats are inside and how many openings the property has. We tell you what to expect after the first inspection.
Roof rats climb landscaping, utility lines and balcony railings, and they can also get in through roof access hatches and mechanical rooms shared by the whole building. A ground floor unit is not required for a rat problem in a multi-story building.
They can. Norway rats that nest around loading docks, pallets and dumpsters near the port and Broadway Avenue corridor will travel to nearby homes and businesses if food and shelter are available. Sealing entry points and cleaning up outdoor food sources reduces that pressure.
We do not recommend it. Poisoned rats often die inside walls or ceilings where you cannot reach them, which causes a strong smell. Trapping indoors and sealing the openings works better, especially in a shared building.
Both areas have rodent activity, just from different rat species. Roof rats are more common in landscaping and roof spaces on Singer Island, while Norway rats are more common near the Lake Worth Lagoon seawalls, canals and the mainland industrial corridor.
The CDC advises not to sweep or vacuum droppings. Air out the area, wear gloves, spray the droppings with disinfectant or a bleach solution, let it soak for 5 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels. For attics, roof access areas or large amounts, call us.
Pest control businesses in Florida are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). You can look up a license on the FDACS website before you hire anyone.
Yes. We also serve West Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Royal Palm Beach. Call (561) 562-7607 to check your address.
Call now. We will inspect the property, show you where rodents are getting in, and seal it so they stay out.
Call us, tell us what you are seeing and where you are located, and our team will confirm the right appointment type and timing.
These pictures come from our own inspection cameras and job sites: rats caught in traps, mice under cabinets, the entry points we find, and the sealing work that keeps them out.
Rat caughtClose-up of a rat caught in a cage trap
Exclusion workTechnician sealing a block wall gap with mortar
Entry point foundRat squeezing past an unsealed pipe penetration in a wall
Kitchen inspectionThree mice caught on camera under a cabinet
Trap cameraNight camera photo of a rat at a snap trap
Attic inspectionMouse found near attic insulation
Station checkRat found inside a rodent station during a service check
Entry point checkMouse beside a dryer vent duct
TrappingMouse approaching a trap station near roof trusses
Rat caughtRat caught in a cage trap outside a Florida home
Food source foundMouse feeding on crumbs under a cabinet
Trap cameraNight camera photo of a rat approaching a baited snap trap
Kitchen inspectionMouse moving along a cabinet base
Kitchen inspectionTwo mice under a cabinet, a sign of active activity