What Causes Rats to Come In Your House?
If you are a homeowner who takes pride in your house, there are very few scenarios more distressing than a rat infestation. You may have seen one of these rodents or spotted the tell-tale signs, such as structural damage or droppings. You may also be wondering why it had to happen to you and your property. And what causes rats to come in your house.
If you are currently dealing with a rat problem, you are probably looking for guidance from a professional on the causes and solutions. If you have had a rat infestation at any point in the past, it is likely you are looking for ways to prevent it from ever happening againIn. In this post, you will find out about this troubling aspect of residential pest control, and exactly what causes rats to come in your house.
Sanitation Issues
An unclean environment is like a special gift to rats. The rodents are on a constant search for shelter, food and water.
So, if you or your neighbours are not as diligent with waste disposal as you should be, then rats could eventually show up to take advantage of what’s on offer in your rubbish. With food readily on hand, the next step could see them sheltering inside your house.
Uncovered Food
Of course, it’s not just a dirty property that attract rats. It may be that you have a clean and tidy home, but some sources of food get left out overnight. If food is not fully sealed or stored in covered containers, rats can smell it. This could be anything from leftovers to dog food and cat food. Pet food left exposed at night is a common explanation of what causes rats to come in your house. Even if you feel you are on top of the cleaning and hygiene, you can be caught out.
Garden Clutter
What if your home is clean and you don’t have pets, but your garden is very untidy and cluttered? As rats are often looking for a nice place to hide, if you have too much clutter and overgrowth around your home, this is the perfect invitation for rats.
Once they have nested in your garden, no hungry rat that needs a nice bit of free grub is going to pass on sneaking into your home. If there’s enough clutter around, they could be hiding out during the day without you even knowing.
Problem Plumbing
As we have already established, rats are looking for the three main things that any living being is. That is, food, shelter and water. If there are enough places for them to hide, and they can access a reasonable amount of food, all they need is water. Therefore, if you have any plumbing issues like leaking pipes anywhere in your property, this may invite the rodents to come and stay. Then you can develop a rat control problem in your Essex home.
Structural Issues
If you leave openings for rats to enter your home, they are going to use them. So, any cracks and damage to walls, floorboards and even skirting boards can provide easy access. Remember, they are looking for shelter. Your warm home is perfect for protecting them against the outside elements.
It is also worth keeping in mind the fact that rats, like other rodents, can gain entry through even the tightest and tiniest of gaps.
To stop them from even thinking about trying and gain entry, you need to make sure all possible structural issues around your property are fixed. Holes and cracks should be filled or covered appropriately.
Overarching Trees
In the pursuit of shelter and a place to set up a nest, rats will use all their cunning and ingenuity. They will even use overhanging tree branches to access to your roof and loft if they can.
Do you have any tall trees on your property that overarch your house? As rats are proficient climbers and jumpers, they could scale those trees and drop down onto your roof. From there, if there are any holes, cracks or other openings, they could use to gain entry.
It is a good idea to ensure that you do not have trees and climbing plants too close to your property. If you are going to have them, we advise that you check the structural integrity of your roof and loft space.
Summary of What Causes Rats to Come in Your House
To summarise, there are various explanations as to what causes rats to come in your house. If you are not the best at keeping things clean, tidy, uncluttered, trimmed back and in good repair, rats may take advantage of those facts. They are experts at finding ways to turn your residence into their own pad.
If you do find yourself having problems with rats anywhere in Essex, give us a call. A lot of people try and fail at DIY pest control to get rid of rats, and wish they had called us in sooner. We will come out at any time of day or night. We have many years of experience with these rodents, and can tackle the issue fast and efficiently.