The Safe Way To Get Rid Of Dangerous Rats In Your Redding Home
Rats are common and dangerous pests that often invade homes in Redding. Rats often find their way into your home from the outside in search of food and shelter. However, once inside, their mere presence can not help but cause property damage and potentially spread diseases to those in the home.
As a result of their dangerous nature, we'll help you understand what to look for to determine if you have a rat infestation and exactly what type of damage rats can cause in your home. We'll also provide tips to help you eliminate rats and show you how Redding Spray Service can help you with the best pest control in Redding.
How To Tell If It's Rats Scurrying Around Your House
Since rats are nocturnal rodents, you might not actually see one frequently or at all, even if you have a rat infestation. Instead, you are going to have to look for clues. Aside from a rat sighting, here are some ways to tell if you have rats in your home:
- Rat droppings: Rats defecate dozens of times per night, usually in concentrated areas.
- Rub marks: Rub marks are made primarily from grease and dirt spread by the rat's feet.
- Gnaw marks: Due to their incessantly growing teeth, rats will chew on wood, electrical wiring, and most hard things in your home.
- Footprints: Foot and tail marks go hand in hand with their constant movement about the home.
- Rat nests: Nests will most likely be in secluded areas of your house, like the basement, attic, or crawl spaces.
It is important to constantly look for signs of a rat infestation in your home. These pests are far from a simple inconvenience. They cause expensive damage and spread several easily transmittable diseases with potentially devastating outcomes.
The Damage And Dangers Of A Rat Infestation In Your Home
Rats usually make their way into your house from the outside. Your home offers them warmth, protection from the elements, a comfortable place to grow a colony, protection from natural predators, and ready access to food. It's no wonder why they would want to come into your home. However, as they come inside from nature, they bring fleas, ticks, and other parasites that can easily latch onto your pets and family members. In addition to the nasty pests that hitch rides on the backs of rats, here are some of the diseases that rats are known to spread:
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Tularemia
- Salmonella
As if this were not bad enough, rats must constantly chew to whittle down their incisors due to their continually growing teeth. As a result, they'll chew your dining table, kitchen cabinets, food containers, furniture, and even your electrical wiring. This last one is particularly dangerous, as it can cause house fires.
The Safe And Effective Way To Remove Rats From Your Home
The first step in removing rats from your home is to make sure that your efforts do not require redundancies. Remove access points to the house so that once you kill all rats, you don't have to go through the process again.
Next, clean up the home. If you make your home less hospitable, you are one step closer to getting rid of rats. Keep your food in airtight containers, clean up all clutter, and remove any nests you locate in the attic, basement, or crawl space.
There are several natural repellents that rats can't stand, such as the scent of peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella. There are even plants that keep rats away! You might actually like some of the scents that repel rats. Utilizing such scents not only repels all kinds of rats but perpetuates a smell that is pleasing to you.
If, after doing the above, you still have a rat problem, you will want to use traps, baits, and sprays. For this step, the best bet is to call in professionals. They not only have access to the best products but also have specialized expertise and know how to deploy them effectively and safely.
Four Easy Rodent Exclusion Tips To Prevent Future Rat Infestations
The most effective rat elimination method, and the foundation for any thorough extermination plan, is to remove rat entry points into the home. Here are four tips to employ that make it much harder for rats to enter:
- Repair or replace broken window screens.
- Recaulk gaps in the exterior.
- Seal foundation cracks.
- Plug gaps in holes where electrical and plumbing enter the home.
If you have a rat infestation, call the professionals at Redding Spray Service. Founded in 1989, we have seen every type of pest that plagues Redding, including all different types of rats. We can take care of all of your rat control needs today. We'll conduct a thorough inspection of the home, devise a tailor-made rat pest control plan, and follow up with regular appointments to ensure there is no relapse.
Tags: redding pest control | rat control | rat prevention |
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