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Rat Prevention
| Is prevention the best medicine? When it comes to
rats, prevention will cure those rat blues. You probably aren't
seeking our professional help unless you already have a rat problem,
which we can solve, but prevention will be part of our solution, and
it will go a long way toward keeping your home rat-free permanently. |
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Here are the best ways to prevent rats:
- Permanently seal all entry points into the building: click
here for examples.
- Deodorize the attic to eliminate attracting pheromone odors: click
here for info.
- Keep garbage, especially food or pet food, to a minimum on the
property.
- If you have fruit trees, they will attract rats. At least pick up
fallen fruit.
- Keep trees trimmed and away from the house - trees provide easy roof
access.
- The less general debris, clutter, and hiding spaces on the property
the better.
Here is an example of a preventative repair:
BEFORE: Rats could enter the home where wire pushed through this
soffit vent hole. |
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AFTER: I seal the hole with a proper soffit vent cover to prevent
entry. |
Now, just because lowering the amount of debris, plantlife, tree limbs, etc
around a home will help lessen rodent habitat, it is by no means a solution.
I've seen rat problems in areas that were 100% clean with no plantlife -
rats can thrive anywhere. The most important steps are the first two
outlined in the bullet-points above - eliminating the entry points, and
eliminating the special pheromone scent that rats leave behind to attract
other rats. Read about rat
phermomones here.
What Property Modification will keep down Rat Populations?
Generally speaking, rats are unwanted guests in most buildings as they
habitually cause considerable damage to the properties that they inhabit.
The pesky rodents do not only plague residential buildings, but can also be
found in commercial buildings, churches, monasteries, schools, and offices.
Rats are capable of chewing through a wide range of materials, from wood to
cable, loose bricks, and even weak metals. As a result, solving the problems
associated with their nuisance is usually not an easy task.
While a complete eradication of rats can amount to an uphill task, an
important step towards achieving a rat-free residence is to reduce their
populations considerably through property modification. This implies
rat-proofing the property to a large extent.
The known and suspected entry points of the rats into the building are
identified and specific steps are taken to block each of these points. Learn
more about How to Inspect a House
for Rat Entry Holes here.
1. Windows and doors constitute a common entry point for rats into
vulnerable buildings. These should therefore, be modified with sturdy
materials that cannot be chewed through by the sharp canines – such as
metals or thick concrete.
2. Another way to rat-proof doors and windows is to raise them, if possible,
to a height that rats would have a hard time climbing to. This would work in
many cases, with the exception of those cases involving a few rat species
that are very good climbers.
3. Electric cables and other rope-like materials should be well concealed in
the building’s interior or inside walls. Rats are adept at climbing cables
and wires, using them as a medium to scale walls. Inspect your property and
remove all hanging cable and ropes.
4. Any fancy brick with porous patterns in the fencing of a rat infested
building should be replaced with solid bricks. While fancy bricks are useful
for beautifying a house, they inadvertently provide the perfect openings for
rats to enter and leave a property at will.
5. Damaged soffits and decking also constitute an easy waybill for rats in
ageing properties. So do holes in the attic walls or rafters, broken roofs
etc. Such openings and damaged components should be identified and sealed
with thick concrete and metals. Also on this list are drains and sewer
pipes; they should be promptly repaired to discourage rats and other
wildlife seeking shelter.
6. Check the plumbing pipes for any breaks, or brown rat grease. This is a
strong indication of possible rat entry through the plumbing system. Read
about rats entering via plumbing
here.
If property modification is undertaken conscientiously, then the rat
populations are well on the way to being exterminated in any given
situation.
I also have friends in other cities that service these areas: Tampa
Rat Control is my friend Mike, and Boca
Raton Rat Control is my friend Patrick, and he also services Fort
Lauderdale Pest Control as well. These friends have trained under me,
and are excellent at rat control.
How to keep rats away - Rats are one of the most problematic animals people
have to deal with. Statistics show these rodents outnumber humans, and a rat
infestation can multiply quickly and get out of control. Keeping rats away
is not as easy as buying stock in mothballs or peppermint oil or investing
in the acquisition of a large cat. Rat prevention comes from basic home
maintenance and good sanitation. You are responsible for the upkeep of your
property. If you can keep your yard manicured and free of rubble, your
chances of drawing in rats will be lower. Sometimes neighbors are the
problem. In this situation, the best you can do is to keep your home
buttoned down and free of damage that might result in a rat invasion. No
hole is too small for a rat. Any opening can be widened through chewing if
the animal feels it is worth the effort. Rats want to be safe and hidden
while remaining near to their food source. Close any and all potential
openings into your home. Grate off pipes and vents. Cap chimneys, even those
not in use. If you live in an urban setting and have secured your home as
much as possible, you can still set snap traps along your perimeter to snag
the occasional rat. With so many other locations that are not cared for,
rats will not waste much energy trying to invade a home that has been well
maintained.
Prevent mice or rats mothballs or peppermint - If you’ve decided to try a
smelly deterrent despite the mixed reviews regarding rodent control, you may
be wondering which method is best: mothballs or peppermint. No matter which
substance you select you will be faced with similar dilemmas. How will you
put enough of the substance down to make it effective? Where should it be
placed? How much is too much? Do you need to worry about your children and
pets? If you’re looking for the most holistic approach, peppermint oil has
none of the carcinogenic properties that mothballs do. Mothballs can cause
death if ingested by children or pets. Peppermint oil will not result in
mortality unless an allergic event occurs. Both substances will need to be
put down in significant amounts to make any difference in the atmosphere of
the home. The gallons of peppermint oil will fade away quickly, while skids
of mothballs will create toxic vapors for people as well as rodents. While
peppermint oil is the safer way to go, the reality is that rodents are
rarely deterred by either odor. When it comes to rodent control, the one and
only proven method is to trap the pests and remove their markings and scent
trails from the building.
Read more articles I wrote here:
What to do about rats in a
rental property
Who is responsible for
rat removal, tenants or landlords?
What if a rat got inside my
house, bedroom, kitchen, etc.
What property
modifications will keep down rat populations?
Home remedies to keep away rats
and get rid of them
Will homeowners
insurance pay for rat damage? (not usually)
Do rats bite sleeping babies?
Will a rat in the attic have a nest
of babies?
Why do rats exist?
How rats communicate using
pheromones
What is a rat’s mating habits?
(both Black Rat and Norway Rat)
If I have one rat, are there
more?
How to get rid of rats outside
How to keep rats out of my garden
How to keep rats out of my garbage
How to get rats out of the garage
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© 2017 OrlandoRats - site content, photos, & maintenance by Orlando Rat Removal, original site by Moonrise Group, Inc |
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