When you hear rats scurrying around the attic, you may feel like it’s harmless. However, rats are a serious problem for many reasons. They can spread disease and even cause structural damage. They not only wreak havoc on your home, but they also reproduce quickly, causing exponentially more damage as they multiply. Here’s what to do to prevent rats before you start seeing, hearing or smelling the signs:
Remove Sources of Food and Water
Rats come into your home for the shelter, and they stay for the easy sources of food and water. To protect your home from rats, start by protecting your food, storing it in durable, tightly sealed containers. Clean crumbs and spills, and avoid leaving dirty dishes or pet bowls out overnight. Repair leaking faucets, pipes and other water sources. Empty standing water outside to avoid attracting rodents and other pests. Removing easy access to food and water makes your home less habitable for uninvited visitors.
Seal Entry Points
Rats will only enter your home if it’s easy to do. If areas like your home’s foundation, roofline, crawl spaces, doors or windows aren’t properly sealed, rats can find their way in. Seal these gaps with rodent-resistant materials such as metal mesh or sheet metal. Repair damaged screens and add door sweeps, as these are a common entry point for a number of pests. Remove the easy entry points, and rodents will have a harder time getting in.
Cut Back Foliage Near the House
Your landscaping can also be a culprit in letting rodents in the house. Make sure that shrubs, vines and ground cover don’t touch the exterior of your home or conceal its foundation. These make for easy jumping-off points. Cut tree limbs away from the roof to reduce access to your attic and upper openings. Clean up around the yard as well, removing fallen fruit and leaf piles that can provide shelter for pests.
Declutter Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
One way to make your home less appealing to rats is decluttering, both indoors and outdoors. Start by reducing the amount of cardboard boxes you’re using for untouched storage items. These not only provide homes for rodents but are also perfect for nesting material. Organize your storage areas using plastic bins with tightly-sealed lids and raised shelving to remove potential hiding spaces. On the exterior of your home, remove debris, unused equipment and clutter from your yard, especially around structures like decks and fences.
Signs Rats May Be in or Around Your Home
Rats are great at hiding, as they don’t typically want to interact with humans. Rather than finding the creatures themselves, you usually see the signs they leave behind. You may see droppings in kitchen cabinets and pantries, around garages and attics, or along walls. Chances are, you’ll hear them before you see signs, as they tend to scratch, scurry and squeak out of sight, especially at night. You may also smell a persistent musky odor, which signals a serious infestation. Some of the clear visual cues they leave include gnaw marks and damaged food packaging.
If you suspect you have a rat infestation despite your best efforts, call a professional pest control company like Command Pest Control that offers rodent control services in Pompano Beach. For South Florida rodent infestations, give us a call at (954) 943-0008 or contact us online.
