Rats are creatures that can carry a lot of infectious diseases, so while you may not mind them living on your property, you don’t want them in your home. Preventing the rodents from entering your house in the first place is the best way to get rid of a rat infestation. Here are four things you can do to deter rats from your house and what you should do if you are already sharing your home with the rodents.

1. Keep Food Stored Away

Rats are notorious scavengers that feed on any crumbs they can find. Having a lot of food particles scattered around your kitchen is a good way to attract rodents. You can also attract rats if you don’t keep food items properly stored in your pantry. The rodents are likely to visit your home if they can smell food or have accessed it there before. To keep rats out of your home, make sure you store all of your food in airtight containers that the rodents cannot access. They will not take a breast dent in a place where food is not plentiful.

2. Keep Your House Clean and Organized

Rats thrive in cluttered environments. if your house is cluttered, you may not even notice you have rats living in your home. Keeping your house clean is a good way to deter rats, and if you want to make sure that you know if you have the rodents in your home, try keeping your space as organized as possible. Remove any unnecessary clutter that rats could hide under or use to build nests.

3. Seal Windows and Doors

You may think that rats cannot access your home because there are no large holes in the exterior of your house, but rodents are adept at squeezing through tiny crevices. Even the smallest crack or hole can give a rat room to get into your house. It’s a good idea to inspect your home regularly and make any necessary repairs to cracks around your windows and doors. If you incorporate this practice into your yearly spring repairs, you’ll remember to mark it off your to-do list and reduce the risk of having rats in your house.

4. Make Home Repairs

Homes start to deteriorate as they age. You likely make yearly repairs to keep your house in good condition but putting off necessary repairs can give rats entry points into your home. It is best practice to make repairs to your home as soon as you notice that there is a problem. The fewer entry points they can find into your home, the less likely it is that rats will become your roommates.

What To Do If You Already Have a Rat Infestation

Rats sometimes get into your house despite your efforts to keep them out. If you notice any of the following signs, you may already have rodents living in your home:

• Droppings
• Tracks
• Gnaw marks
• Scurrying noises in walls

Getting rid of a rat infestation is difficult but not impossible. It is not a task you should take on yourself because you don’t have the proper tools or knowledge. Leaving rat removal in Durham to the professionals is always the best idea. If you call Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, our technicians remove all of the rats inside your home. Once we have removed the rodents, we will help you identify potential points at the entry and cover them so that you don’t have another rat infestation.

If your best efforts have failed and you have rats living in your home, you need to take action quickly to get rid of them. You can trust the experts at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to take care of rat problems quickly and efficiently. Contact us today for rat removal in Durham.