Solutions For Rats In The Roof

Rats have been a problem since the start of civilization. They cause a lot of damage to property. They can cause severe damage to your electrical wires, essential papers, furniture and food.

One of the most common complaints from home owners relates to rat infestations in the roof. They can cause devastating damage to people’s houses, offices and other properties. They even infest the roof of garages or sheds. Here’s what you need to know about methods of controlling rats in roof.

Importance Of Rat Control

Pest control is essential because pests like rats are harmful to property and documents. They are equally dangerous to human health. Some of the roof rats leave their faeces in food. If a human being eats this contaminated food, they may get severe intestinal problems.

Rats travel a considerable distance, so they gather germs from different places. They are carriers of various viruses, including the Hantavirus and certain medically notorious bacteria like Salmonella. To protect yourself and your family from these pests, you should start rat control immediately.

Problems Due To Rats

Rats and mice can cause considerable damage to your building, food, clothing, wires, electrical gadgets and documents when they gnaw, urinate, defecate, and infest certain areas of the home. The gnawing can lead to problems like electrical breakdown or even fire.

Rats bite people, especially young children, causing diseases. Estimates show that they bite more than 4000 people a year. Sometimes their bite can be fatal. Their urine, droppings, saliva, and even dead skin cells are problematic for people with lung disease. The hair and dead skin cells of rats can trigger asthma attacks and worsen the situation. Therefore, it is essential to get rid of roof rats as soon as possible.

Roof Rats And Their Infestation

Roof rats are quite clever. They can easily climb up walls. Most prefer enclosed and elevated spaces in walls, false ceilings, and the attics. One thing most people don’t know is that rats are social animals. They live in packs, which means that if you see one of them on your roof or home, chances are there are many others. So, it is best to start preventive or control measures.

Rats reproduce quite fast. If you fail to find them in time, they can multiply, and rodent infestation will increase to an unimaginable size.

Rats and mice are more active at night. If you get to see one during the daytime, it means that you have some severe infestation in your house, and this is the surest sign of an infestation. Mice reproduce about 10 to 20 times faster than rats, particularly indoors.

Methods Of Controlling Rats

Ancient Methods of Rodent Control

Ancient Egyptians used pest-destroying animals to protect themselves from the ill effects of rats. Cats were used for this purpose. Cats can keep the rodents out a radius of 50 yards. Today, people still rely on cats to control mice and rats. It is an excellent alternative, much cheaper than most other rodent control methods. But this method might not work where you have severe rat infestation.

Modern Methods of Rodent Control

There are various modern methods you can use to keep rats and mice away from your home. They include biological, mechanical, physical, and IPM strategies. The most common rodent control method is poisoned bait.

Poisoned Bait

Exterminators introduce unique bait stations to get rid of insects and rodents, including roof rats and Norway rats. The bait stations use poisoned bait to kill and control the rat infestation. This method is very effective, but it has some dangerous side effects as well.

Exterminators kill the rats by giving them poisoned food. Poisoned meat is the most common item used. This method guarantees that you will get rid of the unwanted rats and mice. The problem with this method is that a larger animal, most likely your pet, might eat the poisoned meat, and die.

There are many examples of people who died by eating animals that previously had poisoned meat. Some of them were even killed by coming in contact with the poisoned meat. This is the main reason why pest managers mostly avoid this method despite its efficiency.

IPM Strategies

IPM stands for integrated pest management, and it involves use of information relating to the life cycle and spread of harmful pests. The IPM strategies are practical and environment friendly. It is almost impossible to get rid of rats without applying some IPM strategies.

Keeping Rats And Mice Out

The first step is to try your best to keep the rats and mice away from your house and roof. Rats and mice can enter the building through tiny holes in walls, cracks in pipes, sewer outlets and under the door.

You should use some blocking materials to keep them away from your home. Use metal flashing, copper, wool or clothe to block any holes or drains that can be an entry point for the rats. You can use door sweeps under the main doors. Make sure that there are no cracks and openings in your walls.

Manage your Garbage Properly

Garbage is the most favourite place for the rats to reside. Remove and discard any food waste in your house. Discard food items in tightly covered bags or cans. Find and remove all indoor garbage and clean your space properly. Outdoor garbage should also not be placed near your house. Place it on hard concrete surfaces that are far away from your property.

Monitor

Monitoring your home for signs of rodents is an essential step in rodent control. Ensure that you check for rodent droppings, burrows in the ground, nests around cluttered areas, and signs of gnawing on fruits, vegetables, or other food items. Ensure there is no rotten food in the pantry.

Identify the Type of Rat

There are different types of rats which are classified as pests. They include Norway rats that are best at burrowing, roof rats that are best at climbing up walls and false ceilings and lastly, house mice. You can differentiate them based on their footprints and physical appearance.

Use Different Traps

Once you are sure about the type of rats in your home, the next step is to use different traps to get rid of rats. You can use electrocution traps with bait stations. Make sure that you keep your children away from these traps and wear gloves while dealing with them.

Pest Control Professionals Can Help

If you are uncertain if there are still more rats and mice in your roof, you should call a professional pest control expert. This step will ensure that you never have to face rodent control problems ever again in your home.