Are You Struggling To Deal With Rats In Hendersonville?

Habits And Behaviors Of Common Rats

Few things are as disheartening as seeing a fat rat running along your foundation wall and disappearing into your landscape vegetation. Questions arise. What is that rat doing in my bushes? Is it getting under my deck? Is it getting into my home?

Rats On Your Property Can Create Many Hazards

It is rare to hear of rats attacking humans. That is good news. But there are ways a rat can harm you unintentionally. Let's quickly look at the hazards associated with rat infestations.

These issues increase as rats grow in population, which they are sure to do. Some experts say that a population of over 1,200 can arise in only one year from two rats entering a structure. They reproduce incredibly fast. We strongly recommend taking action as soon as you detect rodent activity. Look for rodent droppings near your home and inside secluded spaces. Examine baseboards and pipes for grease marks. Look for hairs and footprints. Listen for noises in your walls or watch to see if your dog or cat behaves oddly. Use your nose to detect the scent of urine in your attic. Examine your home for small holes that are barely larger than a quarter. Check food packages for holes. 

Contact All-American Pest Control for rodent control and management when you find evidence of a rodent infestation. Our service team members have the training and experience to diagnose your rodent problem, and we offer an effective solution. We're here to help.     

How To Remove Factors That Attract Rats To Your Property

Rats don't choose every property equally. Some properties are more attractive to rats. Removing factors that attract rats makes it less likely that they'll invade your home. If you also block access to your home, you can keep rats out naturally. 

Clutter: Rats have poor eyesight and use their other senses to navigate. They'll use their hearing to track sounds. They'll use their noses to map out the aromas around them. The most important sense they have is their sense of touch. Have you ever wondered why rats run along walls? What they're doing is using their sense of touch to navigate. A rat can run along a wall in pitch darkness. It will also run around ground objects using its body hairs and whiskers to move with surprising agility. If you don't have things in your yard, a rat will have a hard time crossing your yard. Picking up yard clutter can make your yard resistant to rats and create a buffer between the edge of your property and the perimeter next to your foundation wall.  

Piles: Norway rats like to create burrows underneath stacked objects or junk piles. It is easy to collect a little junk now and then. But that junk could invite a rat problem. 

Food: Rats are always looking for food. Many food sources bring rats into your yard. Some might surprise you. Do you know that rats eat nuts like squirrels do? It is essential to clean up nuts under trees that produce them. Do you know that rats eat birdseed? If you have feeders in your yard, the seeds that fall to the ground can invite a rat problem. Do you know that rats eat the food in your trash? Keep your trash receptacles covered, avoid overfilling your trash, and clean your receptacles if they start to have an odor. 

Harborage: Rats get underneath structures. They may hide under a shed, deck, stairs, or porch. Install hardware cloth approved for rodent control to keep rats out of structural voids. (Just make sure there are no rodents inside first!) You can also use that material to block access routes, such as gable vents. 

Routes: Roof rats are expert climbers. They'll work their way up your downspouts. Insert wire mesh inside so rats can't climb up, but rainwater can still run out. Rats can scale pipes that run up the side of your home, so install guards to prevent them from doing this. Pipe guards look like upside-down cones that keep rodents from easily traversing your walls. Rats can also use tree branches to leap onto your roof, jumping several feet to do so. They can jump that distance without fear because they can fall from great heights without harming themselves. You'll also want to trim tree branches away from your roofline. If that isn't possible, put a band of sheet metal around the tree trunk. Roof rats can't grip the metal with their claws and scale the surface. A band that is wide enough is unpassable.

Seal Entry Points: Rats can't help but explore tight spaces. They'll likely enter your home if they see a gap or hole while examining your exterior. Use expanding foam to seal around pipes or fill in voids behind joists. Use a caulking gun to apply a seal around frames or to fill in rotted wood holes. Inspect weatherstripping and door sweeps to make sure your exterior doors have a complete seal. Inspect your door and window frames to address any damage or holes. Repair or replace damaged window and door screens.    

It is hard work keeping rats out, so some Hendersonville residents sometimes turn to rat control products. We don't recommend doing this as they require specialized knowledge. It is possible to make rat problems worse by misapplying control products. You can also prolong an infestation and deal with rats longer than needed.

The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of Rats

Contact All-American Pest Control for rodent control in Hendersonville. We use modern Integrated Pest Management, the gold standard in pest control, to solve rodent problems with the least amount of control materials. Your rodent control program may include some or all of the following.

If you're battling rats in Hendersonville, contact All-American Pest Control and speak with one of our service team members. We'll provide the advice and guidance you need to find the right solution for your specific needs. It pays to hire a professional with the experience and expertise to get this challenging job done right. Connect with us today.