Rats are small rodents that can quickly find their way into an attic and cause considerable damage, while spreading harmful germs that could harm both their own health as well as that of your family’s.
Follow these tips to keep rats out of your attic! The most effective way of safeguarding against rats in your home is preventing their entrance!
1. Seal All Holes
Rats and mice are agile creatures capable of fitting through small holes or gaps with relative ease, often chewing away at them until it opens wide enough for passage – it is therefore vitally important that all holes on your home’s exterior be sealed up securely to keep these pests at bay.
An infestation in your attic can quickly damage insulation, ductwork and wiring systems in your home, creating an increased fire hazard that must be resolved as soon as possible. To do so safely, immediately take steps to address it as soon as you identify it.
Air seal all access points in your attic, such as your soffits and kneewalls, properly in order to avoid air leaks that cause frost or ice patches in your attic.
2. Inspect Your Attic
If you detect signs of rodent infestation in your attic, the first step should be identifying potential entryways to seal and prevent additional rats from gaining entry.
Rats have a remarkable ability for climbing, and are extremely agile. They can squeeze through even small openings in the structure of your attic with relative ease and are adept at hiding from predators as well.
Once inside your attic, they’ll search for shelter, food and resources – such as insulation, ductwork and wiring that they chew up and tear up to gain entry. In turn, this causes massive amounts of damage.
If you suspect there may be rats in your attic, don’t delay in seeking professional assistance from a pest control service. A trained technician can quickly identify them and outline how you can best deal with their presence.
3. Trim Trees and Shrubs
Rats and mice can easily climb branches and ivy, so keeping these items trimmed back will discourage them from climbing to your roof and entering your attic.
Trimming tree and shrub branches is another effective way to promote good health in trees and shrubs, providing them with access to sunlight and rainfall as needed for good wellbeing.
They will also be less likely to attract insects or disease-carrying organisms that could harm your plants and trees.
Trimming ivy and overgrown bushes may also help deter rodents. Trimming vegetation also makes it harder for rats to travel long distances from your property in search of shelter.
4. Store Debris Far From Your Home
One effective way to keep rodents out of your home is to maintain an orderly environment outside it, including storing debris such as firewood and trash away from it.
Rats are notoriously cunning creatures, and they have numerous ways of entering your home through various means. From using tree branches to climb onto your roof and into your attic to using ladders leading into it all – rats know exactly how to access their target locations!
Because mice are known to chew through wires, plastic, wood and lead materials like wiring harnesses and lead roofing sheets, it is imperative that all potential entrance points to your attic be sealed off to keep mice at bay and prevent them from entering and wreaking havoc with your home. Sealing such entrance points will stop mice from entering your attic and potentially doing irreparable damage to it.
5. Use Rodent-Proof Containers
Rats and mice are common household pests that can do extensive damage to both property and health. Furthermore, these vermin are known to carry various diseases which could threaten both aspects of your wellbeing.
Prevention is the key to any pest problem, and rodent-proofing your attic is an excellent way to keep rodents at bay and safeguard your family.
Rodents have the ability to squeeze themselves through tiny openings in homes and buildings, so it’s vital that all entry points into and around them are sealed off effectively.
As well as using rodent-proof containers in your attic, it’s also crucial that all storage areas and food items be regularly organized and stored properly. Rodents have the tendency to consume any item that catches their interest – so to protect your pantry items against their reach it would be wise to store many in airtight containers.