Rats are certainly one of the more feared and unwanted creatures in people’s homes and businesses. Rats are very adept at gaining access to warehouses, attics, crawlspaces, basements, garages, sheds and, to stay warm, even under the hoods of parked vehicles. They can very quickly gnaw a small hole/gap into an entry point. They do not generally get into the living area of a home, but certainly do on occasion, which is sometimes why infestations can go unnoticed for some time. They cause a lot of damage to infested areas including soiling insulation or drywall and gnawing on electrical wires or piping, leaving a terribly foul-smelling unhealthy mess. If their activity is left unaddressed, the damage done can become expensive to repair and can even ultimately cause fire and water damage. Elimination and then exclusion are both extremely important for long term control.
Contamination cleanup is also important if they have been a long-term problem for the health and safety of occupants as well as the home/building itself. When necessary, an exterior rodent control program can also be put in place to minimize populations in your locality.