info@getridofpests.com

How to get rid of rats in the attic



Rats often come to human homes and build their nests in them, choosing different locations for nesting, such as a basement, an attic or under the porch area. The reason why they so often inhabit our homes is very simple: there are lots of available food sources everywhere! Rats eat all kinds of food (they are omnivorous species), so our homes are an excellent destination for them, both for survival as well as reproduction – because there will be plenty of food for their offspring as well.

If you suspect that you might have rats in your attic, the first thing you need to do is to make sure. This is quite an easy step. You need to perform a little bit of an inspection, searching for classic signs of rat infestation, such as: rat feces in the attic and around the home (particularly in the pantry), rat nesting materials in the attic, scratching and biting marks on wires, scratching sounds and movement in the evening.

Once your inspection has verified the presence of all these elements, i.e. the presence of rats in your attic, you need to start the eviction process and prevention of future infestations of rats in your attic. The first thing that needs to be done is to find the entry point(s) – where did the rats enter your attic in the first place? You must be aware of the fact that rats can crawl through very small holes and gaps (just 1-2 square inches is enough for them to crawl through!). Check the entire roof line, openings of eaves, openings of vents and similar gaps, holes, and cracks. Wiring and cables from your roof toward communal electrical wiring is another connection point that rats can use to get onto the roof and then into the house.

Additionally, even when you have detected a rat presence just in the attic, don't stop there. Check your entire house for possible entry points, because if you don't seal shut all of the possible entrances, you will never get rid of rats in your home.

Once you have detected all possible entrance points, you need to close them firmly. Use steel and putty to be sure that rats will not be able to chew their way through. Sealant is a good choice for vent openings because rats don't appreciate sealant material and will give up trying to bite through it as soon as they see it.

When you have safely sealed and shut all possible entrances, you should move onto the next step – eviction. Place traps in the attic on usual rat paths. You can also place traps near and in the pantry (or wherever the rats go to look for the food). Snap traps are an excellent choice because they quickly and efficiently kill them without causing unnecessary pain.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Opossums page or email us if you have any other questions about How to get rid of rats in the attic