Having rats in your home is a nuisance and also can be dangerous, so if you’re wondering how to keep rats out of my attic, the answer is critical.
Rats can cause damage to your home, chew through wires and insulation, and even pose a health hazard to your family. One of the most effective methods of keeping rats out is to build them out.
Building rats out of your attic involves sealing off any entry points where the rodents may be gaining access to your home. This involves a combination of preventative measures and rodent-proofing techniques.
Here’s how to keep rats out of your attic by building them out:
Inspect your home for entry points.
The first step is to inspect your home for potential entry points. This could include gaps around your roofline, vents, and pipes, as well as any holes or cracks in your walls.
Seal up the gaps.
Seal up any gaps or holes you find with steel wool or caulk. Use weather stripping around doors and windows to eliminate gaps there and to ensure a tight seal.
Secure your roofline.
The roofline is a common entry point for rats, as they can easily climb up trees, shrubs, and even rain gutter downspouts to gain access to your roof. Make sure your roofline is secure by trimming back any overhanging branches or vines and installing metal flashing or mesh around the perimeter of your roof.
Screen off your vents.
Rats can easily enter your attic through roof vents or exhaust fans. Install mesh screens over any vents or exhaust fans to prevent rodents from entering.
Use rat-proof building materials.
When building or renovating your home, use rat-proof materials such as concrete, metal, or brick. Avoid using materials such as wood, which can be easily chewed through by rats.
While building them out is perhaps the most effective way to keep rats out of your attic, there are a few other things you should do as well.
Do preventative maintenance.
Inspections should be done regularly to ensure that your building out measures are still effective and so that you can fix any new problems you find. And it’s important to keep trees and shrubs properly maintained and away from your roofline.
Eliminate food sources.
You also should be intentional and diligent about eliminating food sources in and around your home that will attract rats in the first place.
This includes:
- storing food in sealed containers,
- keeping your garbage cans tightly closed, and
- not leaving pet food out all day for pets.
If you have already have rats in your attic or anywhere else in your home, call a professional to take care of the problem. This may include setting bait traps, finding and removing dead rodents, and then cleaning and sanitizing the attic.
Because of the potential health risks involved, it’s always best to hire a trained and experienced professional to get rid of rats in your attic. That same training and experience makes a professional the best option to keep rats out of your attic in the first place.
They can provide a thorough inspection of your home and recommend effective solutions to keep rats away.
Classic Pest Control has been doing this for Seattle-area homeowners since 1997. And we’re ready to help you, too. Your first step is to simply contact us for a free estimate.
We’ll evaluate your situation and suggest a plan to get rid of the rats you currently have as well as prevent future problems. We’ll clean and sanitize once we’ve gotten rid of the existing rats, and then set you up with preventative maintenance to keep them away.
Click here to use our online form to request your free estimate, or call us at (425) 259-0008.
We look forward to helping you keep rats out of your attic and protect your home and family from the potential dangers posed by these pesky rodents.
