Why Do I Have Rats In My House

Pesky animals roaming around your property can be a nuisance indeed. When it’s warm out, animals and insects will come to your house looking for food. However, when it’s chilly outside, these animals arrive in search of a warm, secure, and dry place to live—permanently. Attics, crawlspaces, and basements are common because animals can nest there first without being seen. 

You could find it challenging to find and get rid of rats, in particular, if they are invading your home. But don’t worry! This blog will cover all the information you require about rats scurrying around your home in the winter season and how to deal with this emergency. To learn more, keep reading!

Where do rats hide in the house?

Basement 

Because water tends to collect near a home’s lowest point and rats, like many other pests, prefer to live in dark, warm places, many homeowners discover mice in their basements and crawlspaces. 

Basements and crawl spaces can be the ideal hiding places for rats and their litters, whether they build a nest close to your heater, in a dark crawlspace, or around fractures in the foundation of your home.

Attic

Rats will frequently seek out areas of your home that are least likely to see a lot of traffic while seeking a spot to hide during the winter. Unfortunately, in most homes, that area might just be the attic, likely the only place it exists, along with some dated ornaments and dusty clothing. 

This is also where rats have the best opportunity to construct a nest that is not discovered for several months, which can result in accumulating droppings and urine that can transmit disease before you even see a single mouse. 

Pantry 

Your pantry and kitchen cabinets are the areas of your house where you should pay the most attention when nosy rats start sniffing about. Your food-storage areas are vulnerable to rats at almost any time of year. 

But because there isn’t much food available outside, rats are looking for a permanent nesting ground. If you don’t take care of this, illness and disease will spread swiftly to individuals in your home.

How dangerous is it to have rats roaming undetected in my home?

It is well known that rats and other rodents harm dwellings and can spread several diseases. Not to mention that they also spread parasites like mites, fleas, and ticks into homes. In addition, their need to chew to maintain the proper length of their constantly elongating incisors causes damage. 

What does rodent damage look like, then? Rats and mice can rip and destroy fabric furniture, and they can also shred fabric to make nests. They can also gnaw and claw at various materials, including insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, and personal items. Your home will fill with foul odors as their urine and waste build-up. 

How can I rat-proof my house for the winter?

Inspect, inspect, inspect!

If you haven’t checked your weather stripping, cracks, and other weak spots, you’ve left your property vulnerable to stray rodents. Seal any cracks around windows and doors, as weather-stripping and caulking are prone to crack with temperature changes. You should also inspect any areas that you may have repaired last season.

Keep up to date with the landscaping chores!

Maintaining plants close to your home and failing to remove leaves that accumulate against the foundation are both invitations for little rodents. While looking for an opportunity, they can hide in the greenery, and you might never see them. Instead, keep weeds cut, never let debris pile up against the house, and keep plants and piled leaves at least 2 feet away from your property.

Seal off any stray cracks in the exterior of your house! 

Rats may be able to enter your home through a crack in the winter season if you don’t check the exterior of your house for weak spots. Have you had any installations or repairs at home? Verify that any holes around plumbing or cable lines have been securely sealed. 

Seal off the areas around the sewage and plumbing pipes that enter your home because rodents have been known to climb them. Additionally, install screens in windows or outdoor vents if you keep them open to deter rodents.

Go all out with the rodent traps. 

You’re giving rats permission to settle there if you don’t set traps and use repellents in prospective rodent hot spots. If you have an issue, try installing electrical traps to keep an eye on your basement or attic.

Just remember to check them frequently. Use ultrasonic repellents in basements, attics, and areas with non-rodent pets, as well as natural fragrance repellents in cabinets or drawers.

To conclude?

In the depths of winter, your house should be a warm place where you, your friends, and your family can get together and enjoy the time spent indoors and out of the elements — not a time when you want to be chasing rats and other rodents away. So make sure to respond quickly and, if necessary, seek professional assistance!

Are you in need of rat removal? Our friendly operators at Dallas Fort Worth Wildlife Control are available now at (817) 606-7607 or (972) 954-9244. Find out more about our rat removal in Arlington and Fort Worth, TX.