When it comes to having a pest invade your property, nothing feels worse than a rat problem. Nobody likes to live amongst creatures who swan dive into dumpsters for their meal. Besides carrying many diseases and parasites, rats can also pose a serious issue to your property. They can wreck the inside of your walls, chewing apart insulation and important electrical wires.

Handling a rat problem is one for the experts. In this blog, we explore why a rat infestation is such a serious risk to your health, how to prevent them from entering your home, and which Collegeville pest control company to call for effective solutions.

Habits And Behaviors Of Common Rats

Rats are pretty easy pests to figure out. Their primary needs include shelter, warmth, and food, and they will do anything to get them. While they search for water and food, they will often hide in dark areas that are hard to find, such as attics, basements, and even in between walls. 

Rats are also burrowers and will hide in clothing, couches, and insulation. The best time to catch a rat is at night, as they tend to come out of hiding while you’re fast asleep. Another way to tell if you have a rat problem is if you find rat droppings around your home, primarily in the kitchen or other areas where food is present. You can also hear squeaking at night or in the early morning if there are rats inside your walls. Another behavior of rats is that they will try their hardest to find their way to your food supplies. So, if you find gnaw marks on food containers or holes in food packaging, you likely have a rat problem.

A Rat Infestation Is A Serious Risk To Your Health

You have to take a rat infestation in your home very seriously, as they are a serious risk to your health. Some diseases rats carry can include leptospirosis, jaundice, cowpox, trichinosis, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever. If rats get into your food supply or clothing, they can easily spread these diseases with their droppings and saliva.

In addition to diseases, rats carry ticks and fleas, an especially big problem if you have pets, as they are more susceptible to these tiny pests. Ticks and fleas, however, can also spread to you, your bedding, and your furniture.

How to Prevent Rats From Entering Your Home

You can implement many preventative tips to discourage rats from entering your home. Some of these tips are quite obvious, such as keeping a tidy house, but others are less so. Other ways to keep rats from entering your home include:

• Sealing up any holes, cracks, or crevices along the exterior of your home.
• Fixing any broken vents or window sealing.
• Making sure all trash bins have secure lids.
• Maintaining your lawn and landscaping around the house.
• Storing food in proper containers with tight lids.

These rat prevention tips will help keep them at bay for a while. However, if you already have a rat infestation, a more serious solution is to hire a rat exterminator.

The Best Solution For Rat Control in Collegeville

If you’re dealing with a rat infestation, the best thing you can do is to hire someone with experience to take care of it for you. At Terra, we have years of experience dealing with pests. Don’t wait around for rats to leave your house while they quickly begin to multiply under your nose. Call us today, and you’ll be on your way to a clean, rat-free home.

Our certified pest experts will work with you to find the best solution for your needs. Simply fill out this form for a free, no-obligation estimate.