How to Stop Rats Getting into your House
Rats tend to get into houses pretty easily. They are good climbers and can chew through plastics, wood and even metal, so any external opening for pipework and wires is an easy entry point for a rat. Rats will also chew through plastic vent covers quickly, and then use this as an entry and exit point to your house.
During the Autum and Winter, rats are looking for warmth, shelter and food, and houses are an easy answer for all of these. Rats will usually get into your house from the ground up, so commonly use gaps in brick work or around pipes to get into the wall cavity and climb up into the attic or roof space. Air vents also make easy access points for rats, and commonly rats will live under garden decking, progressing into your house when the weather gets colder.
Once rats are in your house, they tend to live in the roof space where it is quieter, and initially use the wall cavity to travel down and outside in search of food. Once a rat infestation is more established however, the rats will get braver and often start looking for food inside the house. If you hear rats in the attic or loft, such as scratching noises, it’s always worth getting this checked out, before rats started travelling into other areas of your home.
A rat infestation needs dealing with quickly due to the unhygienic nature of rats and rodent diseases. Rats also chew electrical wiring and loft insulation, and a rat infestation can cause costly repairs. The best way to get rid of rats is to use professional rat pest control. Rat pest control services will use licensed baits, which are extremely effective with less resistance. It is best to stop rats as quickly as possible.
After a rat pest control program, which is normally 2-3 visits in total, it is worth rat proofing your home. Rat or rodent proofing is essentially blocking up rat entry points, to stop rats getting in. However, it is always best to block up rat entry points after a rat infestation has finished and the rats are exterminated, otherwise you may end up trapping rats in your home which causes more problems.
Your pest control company will be able to advise on areas that need rat proofing or protection, and a good pest control company will be able to quote to do the rat proofing for you, or advise only so you are able to carry out the work yourself. Simple steps such as rodent proof vent covers, will help to keep rats out of your home in the future.
