Rats can be a real nuisance, especially if they infest your home and find their way into your attic. There are two main species of rats in the US, the Norway Rat, and the Roof rat. The Roof Rat is more common in warmer areas and is more likely to enter your attic. Rats are active year-round, and they’re known to breed in high numbers. As such, if rats get into your attic things can get worse in no time. Here are a few tips to bear in mind if you hear rats in attic at night.
Rats in Attic at Night
First
Inspect your entire house or premises, and look out for all gaps and open holes that the rats are using to gain access into the structure. These include roof lines, eave gaps, vents, etc. Start checking from the ground and work your way up to the roof. Once rats infest your home, they can scurry through any part of the architecture, the ceiling, the walls, and get into your attic, where they like to live and nest. Overall, preventing pets from getting in your home is ideal.
Second
Rats can climb pretty much any surface. They can squeeze through small gaps and holes and find their way wherever they want to go. They can get in through any possible hole or gap in your home or the sewer pipes, from the foundation to the tip of the roof. Seal up all entry holes using a material such as steel, which is impossible for rats to chew through. You can bolt the steel in place. Use a sealant to block off any flow of air, discourage rats from trying to get inside.
Third
Only after you’ve sealed everything should you go ahead to trap and remove rats. Snap traps are an easy way to get the rats. Simply set the traps on the rat runways in the attic. You may opt for poison but rather than solving the problem, it will only make the problem worse. Solving a rat problem requires you to find every point of entry into the house and seal it shut. Snap traps, therefore, are the best way to deal with rats.
Fourth
Remove the trapped rats until you’re sure the rat problem is over. Listen carefully for light scurrying noises at night, anywhere in the attic or walls. The rats may sometimes sound very fast and if your attic has an echo, they can sound much bigger than they are. You’ll know the rats are gone once things are quiet at night.
Fifth
Rats often leave tons of droppings in the attic. They’re also known to leave trail ways and tunnels in the insulation. You might also see chew marks on wood, electrical wires, and pipe insulation. Once you’re sure you’ve dealt with your rat problem, clean up space in the attic afterward.
Bottom Line
With these tips, you should never have to worry about rats in attic at night. Once you’ve sealed all entry points, trapped the rats and cleaned up your attic, your home should be free from rats.