A rat infestation should be taken seriously. Rats carry diseases, some of which can be fatal to humans. They are also intelligent and adept at surviving, so will quickly work out how to get into houses using entry points in brickwork. Typical rodent entry points are plastic air vents, or gaps around pipework. Once in the wall cavity, rats will crawl up into the roof or loft space, and live here, often initially going unnoticed.
As rats become more established it’s likely you will start hearing them moving around, especially at night time. Hearing scuffling and scratching noises in the attic at night is a classic sign of rats. Gradually, if the rat infestation goes unchecked, the rats will start becoming more confident and exploring other parts of the house. Food will draw them into other areas, especially into the kitchen. A kitchen that looks very clean and hygienic can still have a rat infestation within, as they tend to stay out of sight behind kitchen cupboards and in wall spaces when people are nearby.
If a rat infestation is particularly severe, seeing live rats in the house, especially in kitchens, starts to become a reality. It is highly recommended to employ the services of a professional pest control company with a rat pest control or extermination program before a rat infestation gets to this point. Rats will avoid humans but can loose their fear of humans and touching areas that have been in contact with rat urine carries the risk of picking up rodent diseases.
A rat pest control service will be a two or three visit rat extermination program, some companies offer two visits to keep costs down, but will charge for a third visit if needed. Other companies may offer a three visit control program, as they feel this is the most robust option from the start.
Visit one will mean a survey to establish the extent of the rat infestation, with the rat extermination program being started straight away. Visit two will confirm whether the rat infestation has been ended, or whether additional visits are needed. If additional visits are needed these can usually be booked on an individual basis.
Once rats have been fully exterminated from a property, then it is wise to undertake rat or rodent proofing. This is essentially blocking off rodent access points, to stop rats getting into a house or property again using the same route. If rats are accessing a property via the drains, then a rat drain survey may be needed, and some drain repairs carried out to stop rats using the drains as an access route to your home.
