Rats are commonly found across North America entering places that cause homeowners headaches. Rats are preyed upon by a variety of critters and seek shelters that offers protection. Often this means finding small cavities around properties and squeezing in. To keep homes rat free, exclusions or repairs/seals are the golden standard in the industry.
What are common areas that rats utilize to infiltrate homes? Which repair materials are adequate in keeping rats out for good?
Rats are mostly nocturnal (active at night) but can also be heard gnawing and rustling around during the day. Homeowners are commonly tipped to rats in their homes from sounds in the attics or walls. Attics offer rats an area that has roof protection, darkness and little to no human activity. The insulation in attics offer nesting material and warmth during the colder months. Attics are typically accessed by rats through construction gaps and roof protrusions.
Construction gaps or builders gaps are small cavities left open on the exterior of a home. They are typically found where two or more pieces of trim or material intersect with one another. Rats only need 1/2’’ of space to squeeze their bodies through. Locating and sealing builders gaps will prevent rat entry.
Rats may also find entry to a property through utility and water lines feeding into the house. When utility and water lines pass through a homes exterior holes are cut to feed the lines through. In many cases there are voids left around the perimeter of the utility lines. Rats will travel along utility lines and squeeze into homes if the void is large enough.
Homeowners that leave their garage doors open, even for a short amount of time, may allow uninvited guests into their property. Rats have been caught on camera sneaking into garages left open and then chewing their way out when the door closes. This creates an access point and place for rats to live.
Burrowing is a natural activity for rats. Some foundations can appear secure but hold unique hidden entry points. Concrete and stucco homes should be inspected with mirrors to look under wall protrusions for cavities. Foundations should be checked for rat feces and rat holes when performing exclusions.
Identifying rat entry points is half the battle. After identification comes sealing. Rats are talented chewers. Their teeth continuously grow through out their lives. Rat teeth need to be filed and whittled continuously by gnawing on hard surfaces. Rats can chew through spray foam, wood, and metals softer than steel. When preforming a repair on a rat hole steel is the gold standard. The enamel of a rats tooth cannot penetrate a steel exclusion. Critter Evictors recommends stainless steel to prevent rust streaking down the road.
There are many areas on a home rats target when seeking shelter. To ensure no cavities are missed a thorough inspection should always be conducted. Each plane of the homes exterior should be inspected from top to bottom. When inspecting a roof for cavities protrusions and roof wall intersections are key focal points. After identifying all the access points exclusions should follow with the correct materials.
For more information on locating rat access points or rat control, contact the wildlife professionals at Critter Evictors for more information!