Have Rats in Your Home?

How They Gain Entry and What You Can Do About It

If you’ve been hearing unsettling noises in the walls, or finding droppings around your home, it could be a sign that rats have found a way into your property. These unwelcome guests are experts at infiltrating homes through even the smallest of gaps, and understanding their access points is key to preventing an infestation. In this blog, we’ll explore how rats gain entry through common service areas in your home and how Brough Pest Control can help you solve your rat problem.

Common Entry Points for Rats

They are surprisingly agile and adaptable creatures that can squeeze through openings as small as 20mm—about the size of a 50p coin! They often exploit weak points in your home, especially areas where services like water pipes, electrical wiring, and gas lines enter. Here are some of the common places that rats use to infiltrate properties:

1. Underneath and Behind Sinks
The space behind your kitchen or bathroom sink is often left with gaps around pipe entry points. Rats love these places because they provide easy entry and a route into your kitchen, where food is readily available. Seal these gaps to make it harder for them to gain access.

2. Kitchen Islands
Kitchen islands often contain a maze of water pipes and electric cables. If your kitchen island has any gaps where pipes run through the floor, it could be a potential rat highway. These areas are usually warm and provide rats with a hidden and safe way to navigate throughout your home.

3. Wall Cavities

Rats are natural climbers, and they find wall cavities to be convenient passageways to move between rooms. Holes in exterior walls or places where services enter can lead rats straight into your wall cavities. These pathways are perfect for staying hidden from humans and predators while giving them direct access to different parts of your house.

4. Gaps Around Utility Lines
The small gaps that often surround utility lines running into your property—such as gas pipes or electric wiring—are another common entry point. These holes are typically left unsealed during construction or renovations, and they become a perfect opportunity for rats to get inside.

5. Damaged Air Bricks and Vents
Rats are also adept at squeezing through broken or compromised air bricks and vents. Once they get in, they can access basements or voids that provide easy access to the rest of your home.

How to Prevent Rats from Gaining Entry

1. Seal the Gaps: One of the simplest ways to keep them out is to seal any visible gaps in your home. Pay particular attention to areas behind sinks, kitchen islands, and around pipes entering walls.

2. Regular Inspections: Rats can exploit small, unnoticed vulnerabilities. Regularly inspecting the perimeter of your home for gaps, cracks, or broken vents can help in identifying potential entry points.

3. Remove Food Sources: They are usually searching for food. Ensure that food waste is properly stored, bins are sealed, and pantry items are kept in airtight containers.

4. Professional Help: If you suspect rodents are already inside, it’s time to bring in the professionals. Brough Pest Control is ready to assist.

How Brough Pest Control Can Help

At Brough Pest Control, we understand the stress that a rat problem can cause. Our experienced team uses a variety of effective techniques to address infestations:

• Professional Inspection: We thoroughly inspect your property to find entry points and areas of activity.
• Blocking Entry Points: Our experts can advise on the best ways to seal gaps and protect your property from further entry.
• Trapping and Baiting: We use safe, effective trapping and baiting techniques to remove them from your property.
• Ongoing Prevention: We offer tailored advice and solutions to prevent rats from coming back.

Don’t let rats make themselves at home in your property. Contact Brough Pest Control today for a thorough inspection and peace of mind. With our expertise, we can effectively rid your home of these unwelcome pests and ensure they don’t return.