Rats cause structural and aesthetic damage to the interior and exterior of homes. They contaminate food and carry diseases, risking your and your family’s health. It is crucial to address a rat problem as soon as you notice rat activity.The roof rat is becoming one of the most well-known rodents for destruction.

Roof rats are known to carry diseases, fleas, and ticks. More than 30 diseases can be spread by roof rats, including hantavirus, infectious jaundice, salmonellosis, tularemia, and food poisoning. The spread occurs when they urinate in your water, chew food in your pantry, or leave droppings on your countertops and appliances. They can also transmit diseases to any pets you have.

Professional Roof Rat Control 

If you determine that your property has a rat problem, it’s time to call in professional help. With the reproductive prowess of these animals sitting like a ticking time bomb in your home, a comprehensive rat control program is necessary.

When approaching a rat removal plan, the key to long-term success is to consider the entire rat population. A few rat traps won't solve the problem. A comprehensive plan will include careful inspection, trapping, removal, exclusion, prevention, and clean up. The goal is to exterminate the current infestation, prevent future issues, and reclaim a sanitary environment. Here’s a breakdown of the thorough process:

Rodent Inspection

The process starts with an inspection from a professional. Our Wildlife Service Technician will look for signs of rats in your home. Although there might not be any rats visible, the professionals at Critter Control know what to look for and where. During the inspection, we’ll identify all current and potential entry points. It is imperative to seal any entry point because rats can follow odor trails from other rats.

With that confirmation, a professional rat control program can begin. 

Roof Rat Trapping

If you have a rat infestation currently in your home, the first step is to trap and remove the rodents.

Generally, trapping is considered the most effective and safe way to control rats. The size of the infestation will determine how many traps, what types of traps, and what rat bait will be placed around your property. Typically, snap traps are the first choice. That’s because these traps can be used several times.

The trapping and removal stage usually takes between 5 to 14 days. But if you are dealing with a well-established colony, then the professionals might extend this timeline.  With an especially large colony, other control measures including tamper-resistant bait stations may be required around the perimeter of your structure.

Due to the very cautious nature of these rodents, trapping won’t happen overnight. But with time, this is an effective way to remove any rats currently in your home.

Rat Exclusions

Even if you successfully remove every rat in your home, other rats will likely return to the same comfortable spot. That’s why it’s absolutely essential to seal up all entry points of a quarter-inch or larger.

A few common entry points include foundation cracks, loose-fitting screens, holes for pipes, chimneys, and loose soffits. If there isn’t a readily available hole, Norway rats and roof rats are likely to gnaw through materials like plastic sheeting, wood, and caulking to break into your home.

Rats can gain entry through such a small opening. But Critter Control Wildlife Service Technicians have the experience and training to find all current and potential entry points. Once the weak points are identified, a whole home exclusion is necessary to prevent future rat problems.

The professionals will use sealants, wire mesh, and other rat-proofing structures to safeguard your home.

Clean Up

Rats make a mess in your home. They destroy insulation by using it for nesting materials, creating rat runs through it, and soiling it with urine and feces. Rats can bring many diseases into your home.

Rats contaminate any food they get into. A few diseases commonly transmitted through indirect contact with rats include leptospirosis, salmonellosis, tularemia, plague, and rat-bite fever. Finally, ectoparasites like mites and fleas can infest your home after hitching a ride on a rat.

Of course, no one wants to pick up a rat-related disease. The first step to avoiding any potential health hazards is to call in professional help to eliminate the rat infestation.

Once the animals are removed, it’s time to apply sanitization agents to the contaminated area. The Wildlife Service Technician will thoroughly disinfect where necessary. Additionally, all dead rats will be removed. With that, you can breathe easier in your own home.

Although improved sanitation is the first order of business, it’s not the only part of the cleanup process. Beyond sanitation, our specialists will put everything back in order. For example, let’s say that the rat colony tore up the insulation in your attic. In that case, our team would replace that installation to help you get everything back to normal.

Recurring Rodent Control Solutions

The rodent removal steps above will give your home a much-needed reset. However, the pheromone trails left behind can lead a new infestation of rats directly to your door.

Since rats can chew through most home materials, they can make new entry points into your home. Rat repellants and improved sanitation can go a long way to preventing the return of rodents.

The uncanny ability of rodents to find a happy home is a challenge for homeowners. But that doesn’t mean you’ll need to repeat the entire process again. Instead, regularly scheduled appointments can ensure that your home never sees another large-scale rat infestation. 

A professional service that regularly monitors your home for rat problems can spot any future problems before things get out of hand. Although rats are incredibly resourceful critters, they are no match for a careful rodent control plan.

We can help you get rid of roof rat problems.  Call today: 1.800.274.8837

Critter Control near me
Roof Rats picture 1

Rats living in your crawl space or walls? Disappearing pet food? Dead rats or rat dropping in your attic? These may well be signs of a rat infestation. Call your local Critter Control office today at 1 800-CRITTER for effective rodent cleanup, rat removal and exclusion services.

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Testimonials

Andy
3/15/2024
Reliable and helpful. Raymond was so nice to me and pleasant today. I’ve been with you guys a long time. No complaints!
Andrew
3/15/2024
They did what they said they would do. Price was fair and their service was outstanding. I couldn’t have been happier with the technicians they sent out or the people I spoke to over the phone. Quality people all around and a company that stands behind their word.
Joan
3/14/2024
Taylor did a fantastic job. She was very patient since I had to move my van out of the garage for her. I just hadn't gotten around to doing that.
Alexandra
3/13/2024
They have saved me from both raccoons and squirrels. Very convenient and easy to work with. I hope I don't have to call them again (because I hope I never have another wild animal problem again). However, if I do, I can rest easy knowing where to find professionals who know their stuff.
bweidber
3/12/2024
Critter Control performed a very thorough examination of our house and identified animal entry points and the type of critters that frequent our home. They fully explained the remediation plan for our home including scheduled follow up visits. We feel comfortable that this company will eliminate our critter problem once and for all.
LaNita
3/12/2024
Very responsive and responsible. After my services were completed, I called and reported "Something is trying to get in". They put up "Grace Trapping" for another week. So happy they did because they trapped a possum, and I have not heard anything since. Very polite staff on the phone. No pressure. Understanding about the stress. I'd recommend them to anyone who has critters in their attic or home!
Michael
3/9/2024
Curt was very professional and prompt to my house within 15 min and safely and humanely removed the muskrat from my window well. Highly recommend!!
Justin
3/9/2024
Called about a bird stuck in my vents. They arrived within an hour and were able to get it out. They also set up preventative measures for us. Reasonably priced, would definitely use them again for future critters.
Wallace
3/8/2024
excellent work
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