Discovering evidence of rats inside your home can be alarming. When there’s one, there may be more not far behind, which is why you should have a rodent control professional conduct a thorough investigation. Fortunately, if you take the following steps, you can prevent these unwelcome visitors from finding their way inside.

How to Prevent Rats From Entering Your House

1. Avoid Outdoor Clutter

Clutter provides rats with hiding spots. Remove these appealing shelters, including trash bags, old boxes, and junk, from around and inside your home.

2. Keep Garbage Secure

The scent of food will attract rats to your trash can. If the receptacle is in your garage or beside your house, you’re essentially luring rodents inside. Make the space less hospitable by investing in a garbage can with a strong lid. You can even place something heavy on top to deter entry.

3. Seal All Openings

Rodent control experts warn that rats don’t need much of an opening to enter your home. A small gap in the pipes or even under a door can let them in. Use weatherstripping to seal any openings around doors and windows, and have a contractor inspect the roof for signs of damage. Fill small gaps in pipes with steel wool or concrete.

4. Trim the Trees

It doesn’t take much for an intrepid rat to claw or bite its way through the roof, especially if water damage is already present. In addition to repairing that type of destruction, have an arborist remove low-hanging branches that graze rooftops and windows to avoid giving rats a path up.

5. Schedule an Appointment

If you notice signs of rats on your property outside, contact a rodent control expert immediately. Some common indications include droppings and small gnaw marks on wood. Professionals can use safe trapping and baiting treatments as well as forms of organic pest control to prevent these pests from entering your home.

Are you concerned about a possible rat infestation in your home? Trust the rodent control experts at Dick’s Fumigation Services to resolve the problem for you. As the leading source for organic pest control in Wailuku, HI, they offer cost-effective, comprehensive treatments. Even the most stubborn critters are no match for the company’s safe trapping system, which will lock rats up without harming them. Visit the company online to find out more about the pests they handle, and call (808) 244-7496 to schedule an appointment.