Rat infestations have a much higher chance of happening if certain factors are present in your home. Of course there are some factors that attract rats which you can’t do much about, but there are some which you can control and lower the odds of an infestation. Let’s take a look at the various things that increase the likelihood of a rat invasion.
Warmth and comfort
During the warmer seasons, temperature is not really a problem for rats, but as autumn comes to an end, the temperature drops and the rats will start looking for a warmer environment.
Food
The main reason rats enter the home is food. Outdoors, rats can have plenty of food sources, but they are not as accessible, as nutritious, and as safe to reach as the food sources indoors. These food sources include meat, vegetables, fats, carbs, pet food, and anything that the rats can find in the garbage. To avoid rats being attracted to the food in your home, you can keep it stored in sealed containers.
Compost
If you have compost in your backyard, you may be drawing in rats to your property, and once they are in your backyard, it’s just a small leap to get indoors. Compost is attractive to rats because they can find food in it, and they can use it for shelter.
Leaky pipes
Leaky pipes are an excellent source of water for rodents. They are hidden inside walls, where it is safe, and the water is very clean, so rats will be drawn to the home because of these pipes. Once inside, the rats may decide to start a nest and then take it from there.
Accessibility
All these factors would be ultimately meaningless if the rats could not actually enter the home. This is why you have to keep an eye out for access points that rodents may use to infest the building. These access points are usually gaps or cracks large enough to fit a rat, and these have to be sealed in order to fully rat-proof your home.
Some professional pest control companies will offer prevention services on top of their regular offering. This means that you can hire a pro to remove an infestation and then make sure that your home is safe against reinfestation in the future. For more information on what draws rats to a building, or if you have a rat infestation that needs to be removed, contact us today.
