New House Nightmares

Last month, I put a very low bid on a small, 1920's bungalow-style house in the gentrifying area of Oak Cliff, just southeast of downtown Dallas, and within walking distance of the soon-to-be-famous Bishop Arts area. 

Surprisingly, my bid was accepted, and I hired movers to move all of my shit into the house. 

The day after I moved in, I had to leave for my NYC work trip, so I didn't have a chance to do anything inside the house.  In fact, in my haste, I even forgot to change the utilities over. 

Consequently, when I returned from NYC last Friday at midnight, my water was turned off. 

I was so tired that I just crashed out, figuring that I'd deal with it the next morning. 

During the night, I heard strange rattling coming from inside the walls.  It was so loud that I wondered if a stray midget or ankle biter was inside of the wall banging on boards with a shovel. 

Despite my exhaustion, I didn't sleep.

The next day - Saturday, I smelled something strange behind the dryer.  Heather came over, and we used a flashlight to look behind it.

We saw grey fur.

Heather screamed, and both of us decided that we'd seen enough.

On Monday, the water was finally turned back on, but the power went out - my power wasn't scheduled to be switched over until Tuesday. 

The wall creatures were still moving and shaking things, including loose electrical outlets. 

On Monday night, I again didn't sleep a bit.

On Tuesday, the power was on when I returned home from work. 

I was excited to sit on my couch and enjoy my living room for the first time.

I turned on the season premiere of American Idol and poured myself a glass of wine.   

Suddenly, I heard a loud POP! and half of the power in the house went out.

The water heater was one of the utilities affected, so I wasn't able to shower. 

Disgusted, I went to my buddy, Travis's, house and have been staying there for the past two nights.

Wednesday, a rodent man came out and set traps throughout house and outside.  He found a large rat behind my dryer (where Heather and I had seen fur).  An electrician also came out, and informed me that my warranty company doesn't pay for repairs to electrical wires chewed up by rats.

I have never actually seen a rat in person, except for once when I was in NYC riding the subway.  And I really don't want to see one now. 

My house is, cosmetically, very attractive.  But there are some serious internal problems that I need to deal with, some of which I knew about going into it (roof and foundation issues), and some of which I didn't (rats!). 

My German Sheppard will be arriving at the house in about two weeks - if nothing else, I'll unleash her on these creatures.

I may have lost the first battle against the rats, but I will most definitely win the war. 

More to follow on these developments.

Comments

[Jake]

I had a similar issue with fleas in my new apartment a few years back (it's burned down by now, but that wasn't my doing...). I almost lost hope until I found out how great Borax worked, and after creating a "safe zone" (basically a three foot wide circle of it around my bed and desk) I was able to at least sleep and enjoy internet porn until the rest died. It was as epic as Gandalf fighting the Balrog.

[abnitude]

congrats on the home ownership. the 2 pics look great and the bungalow is such a nationwide classic, so much character! yuk to the rats, good luck to your german shepard.

[Ryan]

How wonderful for you!

A new house is so exciting and a new beginning. I enjoy watching the "House Hunter" show on HGTV because I get to see all of the different neighborhoods and locations around the country.

The rats are highly unpleasant to say the least and I understand your desire to sick your new puppy on them, but rats, however, carry diseases you would not even begin to believe. Make sure you keep your baby far away from them. She will probably think the rats are just another type of animal to play with and that can lead to her death. My Boxer has this overwhelming desire to chase and kill squirrels and I have had to take him to the doctor several times for his misadventures.

I am surprised that you purchased a house though. You really seem like the big city type of guy with the chic apartment and ease of life they offer.

Good luck to you with it and I look forward to reading about your adventures.

Ryan

[Jay]

Yeah, when I moved into my new apartment in Pgh b4 I moved to NYC I didn't have a rat problem but definitely a bug problem. I was kinda scared I'd wake up in the middle of the night to find myself covered in bugs.

[Fred Wemyss]

Rats are seasonal. In winter, they try to get into houses. If you manage to get rid of them this winter, get ready for their reappearance next winter. I live across from a barn, so no matter how careful I am about leaving food out, the rats, who want to get warm, find haven in the walls.
I haven't had inside wires chewed by them (although they've occasionally chewed cords leading to appliances), but that sounds like a fire hazard.
Poison is effective, but traps might be less of a bother, inasmuch as you know where a trap is. With poison, the rat crawls underneath objects to die and you have to find them.