Rat invasions can be expensive and annoying for people who live in their own homes. These bugs can damage your property, chew through wires, make food dirty, and even make you sick. However, preventing rat problems ahead of time can save you time, money, and stress in the long run. Here are some things you can do right away to stop rat infestations before they even begin:
- Cover up any holes that rats could use to get in. Rats can fit through surprisingly small gaps. Check your house carefully for possible entry points. Check for holes where pipes, water lines, vents, and the siding meets the base are. Rats can’t get into your home through these holes. Cover them with steel wool, glue, or wire mesh.
- Take care of your landscaping. Your garden and yard can either attract rats or keep them away. Rats like to hide in thick bushes and tall grass, so cut back plants that are getting too big. Rats can’t get to your roof through trees and bushes that are too close to your house, so keep them trimmed back.
- Keep outdoor food sources safe. Rats can get into bird feeders, pet food, and trash that isn’t kept properly. Use bird feeders that are made to keep rats away, and quickly clean up any birdseed that gets spilled. Keep pet food in cases that don’t let air in, and use trash cans with lids that fit tightly to keep rats out.
- Regular Home Maintenance: Rats are less likely to come into a house that is well taken care of. Rats need water, so fix any leaks in or around your house. Rats can’t get into your home if you fix broken screens, doors, and windows.
- Be smart about where you store your firewood. If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, keep your firewood a long way from your house. It’s easy for rats to get into your house if the firewood is too close. Rats like to live in piles of wood.
- Raise compost bins: Composting is good for the environment, but rats can get into it if it’s not handled properly. Rats can’t get into your trash bin, and putting it up off the ground will keep them from digging under it.
- Use landscaping that is resistant to rats. Some plants and gardening features can keep rats away. In your yard, you might want to use plants that rats don’t like, like mint, lavender, or rosemary. Burrowing can be stopped by gravel or mulch.
- Put in lights that turn on when they sense movement. Rats are nocturnal and like it dark. Putting motion-activated lights around the outside of your house can scare them away by showing them where they are going.
- Learn about rats: Knowing how they act and what they like to do is the best way to keep them from getting into your home. Find out how to spot rats, where they like to live, and what brings them into homes. You’ll be better able to stop them from getting in if you know more.
- Regular Checks: Make it a habit to check your home often for signs of rats, like gnaw marks, droppings, or things that have been chewed. If you catch a small problem early, it can be stopped before it grows into an infestation.
- Talk to a Professional: If you don’t know how to keep rats out of your home or if you think rats are doing something, talk to a professional pest control service. These professionals can look at your property, give you advice, and even take steps to keep rats away.
Remember that the best way to deal with rat problems is to stop them before they get out of hand. By following these tips and being careful, you can make your home less appealing to rats and avoid the problems that come with having rats in your home. It is not only easier, but also much cheaper to avoid an infection than to treat it after the fact.
Rat Control Newmarket, our technicians have the knowledge as well as years of experience in handling rat problems. Whether it is an infestation or an intrusion, our licensed and fully insured teams of technicians handle the problem swiftly and discreetly.