Signs It May Be Time To Call In The Professionals For A Rat Infestation

Like most pests, rats are attracted to all the things that make your house a home: food, shelter, and water. But, since these rodents can spread disease through their droppings and urine, and also gnaw through all kinds of material, including electrical wire, they pose a serious risk to your household's health and safety. This means you need to evict them pronto. The good news is that small infestations are often manageable with some DIY pest control skills, a few traps, and even home remedies, like this pantry item that can keep pesky rats out of the house. Large infestations, though, call for professional treatment. Some signs you have a major rat problem include excess rat droppings, chewed-up food packages, pieces of nesting material (such as shredded paper), scratching in the walls, or mysterious holes in the walls or floors. A strange smell that you can't seem to identify may also be a sign of a rat infestation.

Even if you only suspect that one or two rats have taken up residence in your home, the quicker you deal with the problem, the less time the rat population will have to grow. While it's certainly okay to call in a professional for a suspected small infestation, it may be your only choice for total eradication of a large rat population living in your home.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, seeing a rat may indicate that you have a severe infestation. Rats are primarily nocturnal and like to avoid humans, so seeing one during the day versus the night should trigger even more of an alarm. Another way to judge if you have a significant rat problem is by the amount of feces you find in your home. If there are only a few pellets, mostly confined to one area, then you might be dealing with a stray rat or two. Look around food packages, in drawers, and under the sink, as these are places a rat will commonly seek food and water. If there is a large amount of droppings, call in the professionals.

In addition to the amount of rat droppings you find, a combination of other signs may clue you in on the severity of the problem. For example, if you've discovered multiple rat nests, are finding nesting material strewn about your house, or notice mysterious staining on your walls (from a rat's oils), your rat problem could benefit from the help of an experienced exterminator.

Another sign you need a professional as soon as possible is if you hear scratching in the walls. Rats like to take up residence in walls as this shelters them while keeping them out of your sight. Because of their small, sharp teeth, they can chew through almost anything, including the wiring in your walls. To help prevent damage to your home's electrical wiring, which creates a fire hazard and may be expensive to repair, call an exterminator. If you're wondering how to get rid of rats humanely, an expert is also your best bet, as they'll be able to handle live traps safely.

Managing a rat infestation requires a multifaceted approach. While you definitely need to remove the rats from your home, you also need to block any more from gaining access. Covering entry points is the important first step you need to take if you have a rat infestation. This may include sealing up any holes in the home's siding, significant gaps under doors or around window frames, or holes in the roof or foundation. If you can't figure out where rats are gaining entry or don't feel capable of tackling this job yourself, call in the professionals.