Roof rats are common in many areas of the United States, including Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean they're wanted. Rats can cause many home issues, so Kat's Pest Solutions offers treatment and exclusion options. If you need rat and pest control in Los Angeles, contact Kat's Pest Solutions today.
How To Tell If It's Roof Rats Around Your Home
Roof rats are one type of rat commonly seen in coastal states and the southern third of the United States. Their elongated bodies are usually six to eight inches long, and their scaly tails are another six to eight inches. Roof rats are typically brown with intermixed black hairs; their undersides can be white, gray, or black. They have large ears and eyes.
Roof rats are social pests, which means they live in groups that can have dozens of rats. They typically prefer to live in the upper parts of buildings—attics, rafters, and roofs. Roof rats are nocturnal.
If a roof rat colony is living in or around your home, you may see the rats themselves. You might also notice other signs of infestation. Rats leave behind gnaw marks on surfaces, droppings with pointed ends, and dark grease marks where their fur rubs against the walls. You'll also likely see damage to food packaging or hear noises coming from the walls or attic of your home.
All The Damages That Roof Rats Can Cause To Your Home
Roof rat infestations cause many issues. For one, rats carry diseases, including rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, jaundice, and the cowpox virus. They can also bring other pests, such as fleas and ticks. Because they often get into food storage, they can cause food contamination.
Rats can also cause property damage. Roof rats can chew through many household surfaces and items as they build nests, including drywall and electrical cables.
Because roof rats can cause so many problems, it's best to try and treat infestations as soon as you see any signs of rats in your home.
Effective Tips To Prevent Roof Rats On Your Property
Roof rats usually enter homes because they're looking for food, water, and shelter. The best way to keep rats away from your house is to make these three things inaccessible. You can do this by:
- Keeping firewood and other yard debris several feet from your home
- Sealing holes on the outside of your house and making sure all doors and windows fit properly
- Eliminating sources of excess moisture, such as leaky pipes
- Storing food in solid, airtight containers
- Disposing of the trash properly and using animal-proof lids
Piles of firewood and other debris, such as leaf piles, can become homes to roof rats and other pests. Storing these away from your home reduces the chances of rats moving from the leaf piles to your house.
Even though rats can be pretty big, they can squeeze into tight spaces. It would be best if you sealed up any holes in exterior walls to keep roof rats from crawling inside and gaining entry to your home. Additionally, improperly secured doors and windows—including garage doors—can give roof rats a way inside. Keep them out by keeping your house closed as much as possible.
Leaky pipes and poorly ventilated areas of your home create an ideal environment for roof rats. This gives them a source of water that they can access easily. Repair broken pipes, air out basement areas and crawl spaces, and consider installing a dehumidifier or fan in your home where moisture builds up to make your home a little less hospitable for roof rats.
Rats will do whatever they can to get to the food, including climbing into outdoor garbage cans or chewing through food packaging. Keeping as much food as possible in solid containers (or in the fridge) makes sure roof rats can't get to it. Animal-proof lids are designed to keep rats and other wildlife pests out of garbage bins, making it easier for you to dispose of food waste properly and keep roof rats away.
Rat infestations can be challenging to deal with once they start growing, so you should implement exclusion and other prevention methods around your home. It's much easier to prevent infestations than it is to treat them.
The Safest Way To Get Rid Of Roof Rats On Your Property
Do-it-yourself rodent treatments often fail to take care of an entire infestation. Roof rats are excellent at hiding and surviving, so you'll likely need professional help to get rid of them. Kat's Pest Solutions offers comprehensive roof rat and rodent treatments for Los Angeles homes. Our pest wranglers are trained to perform thorough home inspections, looking for any signs of rat infestations. We propose a treatment plan to eliminate the roof rats and keep them out based on what we find. We offer removal of dead animals, sanitation services as needed, and exclusion work wherever it's necessary around your home. Call Kat's Pest Solutions today if you require rat control in Los Angeles.