Homeowners can implement effective roof rat control and prevention strategies. These tips can help to keep their homes free of these pests while also decreasing the likelihood of them causing any damages in their home environment.
Roof rats like other rodents require food and shelter in order to survive, and by restricting where they find this sustenance outside your home you can reduce their likelihood of entering and infesting it.
1. Reducing Food Sources
Rats are opportunistic feeders, so eliminating food sources is one way to combat roof rats and control and prevention strategies. Closing trashcans, storing pet food indoors and not leaving food out overnight are all proven strategies that can reduce roof rat populations.
Harvesting fruit as it ripens and collecting fallen fruit from the ground can also reduce rats’ ability to access it. As rats particularly like avocado and citrus fruit, make sure that it’s harvested as soon as it ripens to prevent an infestation from taking hold.
Maintaining a clean environment is another effective way to deter rats from invading your property and gain access to food, water or shelter. Regular vacuuming and mopping sessions will help ensure your home remains free from crumbs or spills that might attract rats.
Finally, seal all exterior entry points to your home and other structures where rats could enter. This includes holes, cracks, or crevices larger than 1/4 inch that rats could use to gain entry. Sealing solutions could include metal screen or hardware cloth products like hardware cloth meshings with metal thread, “wool” products made out of wool materials like fleece products, concrete mixes or durable sealants to secure these openings from entry.
2. Sealing Up Leaks
Roof rats are notorious for chewing through wiring, insulation and plumbing to gain access to sources of food or water. If not caught early on, these pests can cause significant property damage.
Rats can transmit pathogens through saliva, urine and excrement that can make us sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s list of over 26 diseases linked with rats infestations such as salmonellosis and rat-bite fever.
These omnivores consume almost anything edible, which makes it no surprise they can contaminate both homes and businesses with their waste products. Their droppings often accumulate in pantries or kitchens where they spread bacteria that can lead to illness.
If you suspect an infestation of rats in your home or business, take swift action to seal any leaks quickly and store foods in rodent-proof containers with secure lids as soon as possible. Such preventive steps may help ensure the presence of rats remains negligible for longer; potentially saving on professional treatments later.
3. Keeping Your Yard Clean
Clean and clutter-free yards make rats less likely to enter. Regularly cut your grass, remove leaves and debris piles from the yard and make sure wood piles are at least 18 inches above the ground and 12 inches from any structures in order to reduce potential entryways for rats.
Fruit trees can be especially susceptible to roof rats, so it is vital to isolate them from other trees, fences, utility poles and phone/cable TV wires. Prune lower branches so they do not touch the ground and pick up any fallen fruit daily.
Rats have the ability to access pet food and water bowls, so store their meals in rodent-proof containers either inside your home or outdoors in an inaccessible location. Bird feeders should also be regularly cleaned after each use and any that remain out in your yard should be brought inside at night to reduce rats from accessing your property and introduce pests like mosquitos or rodents into it. This will also help keep out rats as well as any additional unwanted visitors such as mosquitos that they might bring with them.
4. Keeping Your Home Clean
Maintaining a tidy home is vitally important to reducing the likelihood of rat infestation. Although organizing can take some time and effort, the rewards will pay off in terms of easier cleaning duties down the line.
Establishing designated spots for everything in your home is one of the best ways to keep it tidy, helping organize everything and ensure nothing slips through the cracks! Doing this will ensure nothing falls through the cracks – and no more forgotten items!
Keep your home tidy by regularly sweeping or vacuuming to remove dust, crumbs and any food sources for rats – which reduces their chance of spreading diseases to family members and reduces pest control costs.