How Many Strobes Do I Need?

Before you look at the home examples below please read the following so you can better make your choice:

Whatever space that would be well illuminated by a standard incandescent 100 watt light bulb would be well covered by a 400K Strobe Flash. So, in deciding how many strobes an application site would need - just imagine how many 100 watt light bulbs would be needed to well illuminate all areas of the site. Each 400K Strobe covers a maximum of 800-1,000 square feet of unobstructed space - just as a 100 watt light bulb would. The optimal (full "shock and awe" type of effect of each 400K Strobe) is about 500 square feet or a space of 25ft X 25ft. By "unobstructed" I mean nothing blocking the light from reaching all areas.

Many new homes have dividing "fire walls" (usually constructed using particle board) in their attics to slow the advance of a house fire. Fire walls, heating / air conditioning units, air duct lines, structure components and stored items (boxes, trunks, etc.) can obstruct the light from reaching all areas in sufficient or full strength. Obstructions may or may not be a problem - it depends on the type of pest and its traveled paths. Let me explain:

Squirrels and Roof Rats are both rodents but their behavior is miles apart. Squirrels are problem solvers - incredible and very persistent . It is almost as though they have a very stubborn streak inherent in their little brains. Roof Rats avoid problems. I have heard owners of large pest control companies and government vector professionals (rat killers), in their expressing frustration at their inabilities to trap or poison Roof Rats because they avoid traps and poisons, describe Roof Rats as "extremely intelligent".

With Squirrels I really recommend good strobe coverage - total shock and awe. You don't want to give squirrels the chance to find paths in your attic by which they can avoid the strobes. Good / Full Strobe coverage is the best bet to get rid of your current squirrels and certainly effective in discouraging other squirrels from taking up residence in a strobe covered area - you can't say that about trapping and sealing.

With Roof Rats, strobes placed in known travel areas (full coverage recommended but not as essential) will many times solve the problem because roof rats are very, very Neo-Phobic - afraid of new things. So, with roof rats, if they have to "run the gauntlet" of the full intensity of the strobes to get to and from their nesting site they will simply give up.

We have found that this is true with squirrels also. If squirrels or rats are living / nesting in the walls or in between the attic floor and a ceiling and they have to travel through the full intensity of the strobes - then they usually give up within 24-48 hours.

One last note before the photos. Homeowners usually have a good idea of where the pests are living - because they can hear them and sometimes smell them. So, placing a strobe nearer to where you hear the activity will often times greatly enhance the effectiveness of the strobes. Just imagine if a squirrel wanted to use strobes to drive you out from the lower part of the house. Would a strobe be more effective outside of your bedroom in the hall or directly over your bed? - Same thing for the pests.

I hope the following attic strobe coverage suggestions are helpful. Please understand that these suggestions are based on the outward appearance of the homes' roof structure only - thank you.

The following homes might need only one Rodent Strobe.

The following homes might need one to two Rodent Strobes (one if a strobe is positioned to shine into two areas with sufficient coverage).

The following homes might need two to three Rodent Strobes.

The following home might need three to four Rodent Strobes.

Tile Roofs:

Homes with tile roofs have a greater amount of support structure inside of the attic due to the enormous weight of the roofing tiles. Also, to save on construction cost architects often design these homes to save on support structure lumber cost - resulting in a varied living areas ceiling types, vaulted / slanted / convention flat and even lowered (small bathrooms, closets, etc.) Because of this increased support structure being like a "forest of lumber" and varying ceilings within the structure - complete strobe coverage is a more challenging task. The regions in which tile roofs are prevalent are also regions where roof rats are the most abundant attic pest problem. This was the case with my former Scottsdale AZ home. My roof structure was similar to the ones pictured below - with vaulted ceilings, internal attic dividing fire walls and divided peaks. Coverage of all the areas (every nook and cranny) my 3,000 square foot home would have taken about 12 strobes. But, I knew where we were hearing (and smelling) the roof rats so strategic placement of 5 strobes around the attic perimeter (place where the rats could not go from one area to another without passing right pass a strobe and one close to where the nesting area was) took care of the problem in ONE DAY - I was so happy! Not to mention my wife was well pleased too - Happy Wife ...Happy Life!

The following homes might need four to six strobes.

I hope this has been helpful.

The previous examples are for educational purposes only. Full strobe coverage of pest infested areas is the best option. Strobes should not be operated in the presence of humans, pets, livestock or an other organism(s) other than the target pest(s).