How to Get Rid of Roof Rats: DIY Pest Control
As a homeowner, it’s in your best interests to get rid of roof rats. You can call pest control, but you’ll risk exposing yourself and your family to toxic pest control agents.
There’s a better way! With a DIY approach to roof rats, you’ll be taking your pest control into your own hands.
Practice these easy-to-implement tips and say goodbye to roof rats for good!
Why You Need to Get Rid of Roof Rats
When there’s a rodent infestation anywhere in the home, it can spell disaster for the home’s structural integrity and the health of the home’s inhabitants. Roof rats can chip away at wood, gravel, and even concrete, resulting in odd cracks in critical areas.
Additionally, roof rats and other rodents have been known to carry potentially life-threatening illnesses like Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and leptospirosis.
Roof rats are some of the most common pests invading homes in Arizona. Based on recent statistics, roof rats have been invading homes in the state since the early 2000s. Thousands of homes in the state and the country have reported dealing with roof rats at least once.
Getting rid of roof rats is a must for these reasons:
Roof Rats Destroy Homes
Roof rats dig and burrow into anything in the home that has holes or cracks. This can cause pipes to leak, especially given that roof rats enter homes through pipes and drains.
Roof rats can also widen cracks and holes that are the size of a nickel, resulting in even wider cracks. This is dangerous, especially if the cracks are in the weight-bearing parts of a home.
Roof Rats Carry Life-Threatening Illnesses
Beyond the threats to a home’s structure are the health risks associated with a roof rat infestation. Based on recent reports and findings, roof rats can carry the following life-threatening illnesses:
- Cytomegalovirus
- Leptospirosis
- Tularemia
- Hantavirus
How to Determine the Presence of Roof Rats
There are several signs of roof rat activity you need to be on the lookout for. Here are the most common telltale signs that you have a roof rat infestation in your home:
- Rat droppings
- Roof debris
- Squeaking noises behind walls
- Damaged electrical wiring
- Partly chewed objects in corners, basements, attics, or any area with low human traffic
The presence of any or all of the abovementioned is a sign that you might have a roof rat infestation.
How to Remove Roof Rats in Four Easy Steps
Here are four easy steps to take to get rid of roof rats (and other rodent pests). Tap the plus sign for details for each step.
Related Articles
Natural Pest Control … Without Using Chemicals!
Hybrid Rodents: What to Watch Out For
Possum vs. Opossum: What’s the Difference?
