Rats are highly destructive pests. According to recent data, these rodents account for an estimated USD 27 billion in damage annually in the United States alone.
From destroying agricultural yields to gnawing through household valuables…a rat infestation can cause devastating financial losses. Not to mention the health hazards these critters may pose by contaminating food supplies.
Rats are also notorious for flying under the radar. By the time you sight the rodents scuttling around your yard, an infestation has usually already taken root.
Working with professional exterminators is the surest way to eliminate these vermin from your property. But how do experienced pest control companies identify and eradicate rats?
Rat Inspection
Inspection is one of the most challenging aspects of rat control. To effectively eliminate these vermin from your property, you must locate their hideouts and correctly assess the infestation severity.
Contact a professional rat exterminator near you to assist with the inspection process. The technician will visually survey your entire home for evidence of rat presence, focusing on the following common hiding spots;
- Attics
- Basements and crawl spaces
- Wardrobes and closets
- Wall voids
- Plumbing pipes
- Exteriors
Besides visual assessment, pest control companies may also probe for rats using;
- UV Black Lights
Ultraviolet (UV) black lights reveal rodent urine trails and smudges not immediately visible to the naked eye, helping track rat migratory paths.
- Smoke Testing
Pest control technicians may identify rat entryways by injecting non-toxic, pressurized smoke into cracked sewer lines or drainage systems. Where the smoke plumes out can reveal potential escape routes.
Also, exterminators may use smoke tests on structural openings in walls, foundations, floorboards, and baseboards. If the smoke is concentrated enough, it can drive rats right from their hideouts.
- Camera Testing
Inserting advanced, fiber-optic cameras into plumbing lines may uncover hidden damage associated with rat presence. These cameras typically attach to flexible cords for easy and safe routing through kinked pipes.
- Species Identification
Identification is the final step in rat inspection.
Technicians utilize their knowledge to identify the specific rat species in your home, allowing for targeted treatments.
Rat Elimination
Rats are prolific breeders and can overrun your home within weeks. If an inspection reveals rat presence, extermination should follow immediately.
Common removal techniques include;
- Using Snap Traps
Snap traps and multi-catch systems provide targeted rat elimination. These devices generally capture rodents alive, ensuring safe transfer and preventing death stench from gripping your home during the treatment process.
- Applying Specialized Powders
Where snap traps prove ineffective, special rodenticides may be necessary. A rodent control company will apply chemical powders along pathways to track rat movements back to their nests.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stipulates the acceptable active ingredients in rodenticides. According to the EPA, rat powders should contain at least one of the following compounds;
- Bromethalin
- Cholecalciferol
- Chlorophacinone
- Warfarin
- Diphacinone
- Zinc phosphide
Because rat baits can attract other unwelcome critters, a professional pest exterminator might set traps inside locked exterior spaces, such as cracked drains and underground burrows.
Also, exterminators may position the traps around 10 – 40 feet apart. This prevents other rats from getting scared off when members of their pack get trapped.
And since rats can take some time to get accustomed to new features in their pathways, exterminators may leave the traps unbaited for days. Consistent signs of tampering suggest the rodents have likely become comfortable with the traps.
At the end of every treatment, exterminators safely dispose of the captured rodents to minimize escapes and contamination.
Preventing Reinfestation
After removing the last rat from your property, exterminators may undertake or recommend post-treatment measures to prevent future reinfestations. Common strategies include;
- Removing Food and Water Sources
Rats are instinctively drawn to food and water. Therefore, removing these sources can provide effective, low-cost deterrence.
Bring pet and bird feeders indoors every evening. Also, seal off garbage bins tightly and dispose of overripe yard fruits.
- Sealing off Structural Entryways
Experts block off gaps on your property walls, foundations, and attics. Any crack larger than a half-inch gets sealed with concrete or steel mesh, keeping pesky rodents at bay.
- Repairing Plumbing Fixtures
Rats can travel miles through city drainage channels and pop up in your home when least expected.
Usually, a tiny crack in a drain pipe is all they need to squeeze out and wreak havoc on your property.
Repairing plumbing fixtures is the best way to keep them off.
- Decluttering
Most pets love cluttered spaces. Whether it’s a heap of cardboard strewn around your garage floor or piles of leaves in the far yard, clutter can provide rats with the ideal hiding and nesting spots.
After rat elimination, pest control companies may recommend clearing old newspapers, unused kitchenware, and other obsolete equipment.
Start indoors and work your way out. Clear dense ground cover before disposing of the debris in tightly sealed trash cans.
Fending Off Pesky Rats With Professional Extermination
Every minute counts when you’re dealing with a rat infestation. Because these rodents breed prolifically, enlisting professional help is the surest way to eradicate them from your property before they run out of control.
Seasoned pest control companies possess hands-on skills that enable them to sniff out rats from every hideout. After positive identification, exterminators utilize treatment methods that eliminate the critters fast and safely.
Rat extermination services may also recommend implementing certain preventive measures to avoid future re-infestation, saving you money in the long run.
Photo credit: Vector designer
Contributed posts are advertisements written by third parties who have paid Woman Around Town for publication.
