Rat Infestation
Finding a rat infestation in your home or garden can be stressful and the damage they can cause by gnawing through wood, electrical wiring, plastic and soft brick work can be expensive to repair if the rat infestation is not dealt with quickly.
Eraserpest are highly knowledgeable when it comes to dealing with rat pest control, we come across them daily, so you know you will be in safe hands!
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How to get rid of rats?
The most effective way to get rid of rats from your home or business is to use a professional in rat control who will use integrated pest management to control them.
Our rat pest control treatments follow a 3-step programme with a 4th as an optional extra
- Carry out a professional survey to work out the level of the infestation and the access points they are using.
- Use the appropriate treatments to quickly and effectively erase the rats.
- Advise you on the proofing measures needed to prevent future infestations and carry out any work needed.
- Using our specialist machinery, we can mist either:
– A biocide effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi through anywhere that contamination could pose a risk to you.
– A highly effective odour control product which will get rid of any smells the rats may have left through urine and faeces.
One of the most common questions we get here at Eraserpest is ‘how can I tell if I have a rat infestation?’. Some of the common signs of rats in your home, garden or business is hearing noises in the loft, seeing signs of droppings, chew marks on wires and wood, an unpleasant smell of urine, or seeing a rat in or near your home, garden or business. If you have noticed these signs of rats, give our experts a call to resolve your problem and give you advice on how to prevent future issues.
We offer a range of rat pest control treatments from one off visits to contracts for homes, businesses, equine and agricultural premises.
Helpful information on Rats
The Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
One of the most hazardous dangers that comes with a rat infestation is the diseases they carry.
What diseases do rats carry?
The brown rat (Rattus Norvegicus) also called the common rat or Norway rat can carry diseases including salmonella and leptospirosis commonly called weil’s disease. The diseases carried by rats are spread through direct or indirect contact with their urine, often through water but can be from touching surfaces they have urinated on whilst moving around your home, garden or workplace. If you suspect you have rats, make sure to wear gloves before touching anything and wash your hands thoroughly.
How to tell if you have a rat infestation
A simple way to tell if you have rats in your house is by looking for rat droppings. Rat droppings are dark brown, roughly 2cm long, usually tapered at either end and spread out as rats defecate on the move. Be careful not to touch rat droppings with bare hands and use a strong bleach mix to clean once removed. It may be helpful to leave the droppings until your pest control expert has visited.
Another sign of rats in your home are rub marks or smear marks are grease and dirt left from the rat bodies as they travel across surfaces, these too are a health hazard and gloves should be worn along with a strong bleach or biocide to remove the marks.
Rats are very good at digging; they can make holes under and into your house, shed and holes through your loft insulation. Not only does this mean the rat infestation will cause damage to your property but it gives the rats a way to get access into your home, somewhere to shelter and store food, which can cause a whole new pest issue of its own.
Did you know rats need to constantly chew or gnaw because their incisors never stop growing? By chewing it wears the teeth back, if they did not chew, they would just carry on growing until the rat was unable to eat, inevitably ending in death. By having these very strong teeth it enables rats to chew through a vast amount of materials to find shelter, warmth and food. So, keep a look out for chew marks and be sure to proof/fill any entry points the rats may be using.
Where to check for signs of a rat infestation
Your home or business can be a perfect home for rats too. Starting at the top, your loft or attic is full of warm insulation for the rats to nest in, timber, brickwork and wires for rats to chew on. Lofts are also generally left quite for long periods which can allow a rat infestation to become quite large before you may even realise! Have a look up into your loft space and look for rat droppings, chewing or gnawing and even the smell from rat urine can tell you that you have unwanted guests.
Kitchens, washrooms and laundry rooms can give many places for rats to hide so look behind appliances such as washing machines and cookers and check any gaps where pipes or electrics come in for smear marks or chewing.
Places that may be left quiet or out of sight offer another good home for rats to breed, be sure to check store cupboards and any cavity spaces.
Moving outside, start by looking around the perimeter of your building looking for holes, chew marks or grease smears where rats could be entering. Next, check drain covers or lids for cracks or damage which could be enabling rats to enter the drain system and coming in through your toilets. Check any outbuildings or sheds for signs of rat activity. You may see droppings around undergrowth, even runs where rats are using these regularly to travel around your property.
If you believe you have found any of these signs of a rat infestation and would like advice or to book a treatment programme, please use the Contact Us (www.eraserpest.com/contact/) page or call now to prevent infestations growing.
How much does rat pest control cost?
For a quote on rat pest control, do not hesitate to contact us via email at contact@eraserpest.com or call us on 07572 458216.