Can rats get into your house through the attic?
One of the most common pest issues people deal with has to be rat infestations. A lot of times, people implement different control strategies with little to no result.
This is mostly the case with DIY rodent control. This article focuses on the potential for rats in the attic to get to other sections of the house.
Can Rats In Attic Get Into House?
If you currently suspect your attic to be infested by rats, it won’t be long before they get explore other areas of your home. So, if rats do explore other areas of your home, how do they do it?
You’ll need to read on for details on whether it’s possible and if so, how this unfolds.
Risks Posed by Rat Presence
To get a better idea of the topic being discussed, it’s necessary to first consider the risks posed by rat presence.
There are two types of risk such as risk to property, as well as health risks. When your attic is infested, there’s a possibility that you may observe burrowing, chewing, and gnawing signs.
In terms of the health risks, there are contaminations, fleas & mites presence, as well as bites & scratches. Being exposed to all of these risks can be scary and requires finding urgent solutions to the problem.
However, how you go about finding such solutions will determine your level of success.
Rats in Attic
Whenever you suspect rats’ presence in your attic, it’s important to determine how they got there in the first place.
Certain conditions attract them into your house and these may include dripping pipes, food & warmth, indoor plants, easy access, as well as compost & pet waste.
With all or any of these conditions, rats will find your home irresistible. It doesn’t matter where they enter through. They will try their best to get into your space as long as there are openings.
Let’s briefly discuss each of the points mentioned before proceeding.
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Dripping Pipes
As rats get busy, they’ll need a water source to quench their thirst. A dripping pipe provides a ready water source. It doesn’t matter how little the dripping problem is.
Rats only need a little to be satisfied.
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Food & Warmth
When rats get into attics, they do so because such areas provide ideal nesting grounds for reproduction. With the attic warm, the next requirement is to have food around.
This is where these rodents are likely to burrow through the attic to gain access to the main house for food.
Rats are omnivorous so anything edible will serve. If you’ve had to deal with rat issues in the past, you’ll know that any food you eat will also be targeted by rats as long as it’s accessible.
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Indoor Plants
If you keep potted plants indoors, then it won’t be surprising to have rats around as they love fruiting indoor plants. This is especially true for nut trees.
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Easy Access
How accessible is your attic area, and home to rats? Rats will either stroll into your home or burrow their way through. The easiest is when there are openings such as cracks or crevices rats can squeeze through.
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Compost & Pet Waste
Consider your compost heaps or pet waste as digested food. This is what rats see and will target when left around your home.
Rats Getting Into Your Attic
Rats are excellent climbers and can easily climb up a building to the attic area.
Also, overhanging tree branches around your home can be exploited by these rodents to get to your roof. When rats get to your roof, it’s easy for them to burrow through to your attic or squeeze through any spaces they find.
Immediate action needs to be taken to address the problem before it worsens. A worsening problem will be when rats explore beyond the attic by burrowing through to your house.
By acting quickly, you’re likely to contain the rodent problem and prevent it from spreading.
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Signs of Rats in Attic
To determine whether your attic is infested by these rodents, you’ll need to look out for certain signs. These signs range from scratching noises made from their activity to droppings and chewed items.
Homeowners may also discover or spot live rats scurrying off to safety, in addition to perceiving the stale or musty odor of rat urine.
You might also spot burrowed holes, as well as food around the attic. If you find some food around, chances are that your home has already been breached and is accessible to these rodents.
Rats Getting into Your Home
Once rats are in your attic, it won’t be long before they get into the main building.
These rodents have an excellent sense of smell and will do whatever it takes to get to the food source. Of course, this will include burrowing through the attic or using other open spaces to reach for food.
We earlier said rats are excellent climbers so, getting up the attic and down the food location won’t be a difficult task at all. Sometimes, you may even notice rats scurrying away when sudden human activity or presence is noticed.
DIY Attic Rat Control Won’t do Much
When faced with a rat problem, it’s important to be proactive in your approach.
However, DIY strategies aren’t as reliable as rats have been found to avoid traps in addition to other techniques. It’s best to call for professional rodent control.
Treatment covers all areas starting from the attic and the lower sections of your home. Appropriate strategies are deployed by pest technicians to kill and drive away rats from your home.
Proper Food Storage is Vital
How well is your food stored?
This can determine the presence of rats in a home. Foods stored in airtight containers are largely out of reach to these rodents. As such, you may want to improve your food storage techniques.
Blocking off All Holes
We earlier stated that rats will explore any space they can find to get to your attic, and eventually into your home. Having all such openings sealed will go a long way to keep rats at bay.
Rats in attics have been found to get into homes due to food availability. With this knowledge, it’s important to ensure they do not get into your attic in the first place.
Whenever you suspect their presence in your attic, immediately call for professional help.
