Why are there suddenly rats in my house?

realtor.com - How Do Rats Get in Your House? 6 Things Attracting Rats to Your Home

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As a historic-home renovator, Kelly Parks has seen a lifetime’s worth of rats. Recently, while tearing apart a historic brick farmhouse, she “found a rat living room, dining room, bedrooms, the kitchen, and, worst of all, their bathroom,” says Parks, who’s also the owner of Paris Gibson Realty, in Great Falls, MT. And when she actually saw one of the unwelcome furry inhabitants, “I screamed so loud that one of the contractors outside came in to see if I was hurt,” Parks recalls. No matter how much you loved “Ratatouille,” rats in or around your home—unless you bought them at the pet store—aren’t a good thing. In addition to being beyond-icky, they’re an honest-to-goodness health risk. “Rats can spread disease through their urine and droppings, and a rat bite can also cause renal failure in humans and spread a number of diseases to your pet, including rat bite fever,” says Tom Cox, owner of Zap Termite and Pest Control, in Sacramento, CA. There’s also hantavirus to consider. You don’t need to handle a rat to catch this rare but deadly disease—it can be contracted by simply breathing in infected air from rat urine, droppings, or nesting materials. So now you’re clear on why you don’t want rats in your home. But do you know what attracts rats in the first place? You just might be surprised (and disgusted).

What causes rats to come in your house

1. Warmth and comfort

“Rats enter homes for the same reasons as any other animal: food, water, and shelter,” Cox says. “Rats and other rodents are warm-blooded animals, so seeking a warm place to nest is a natural instinct.” And in their quest for sweet digs to rest their weary tails, these rodents can do plenty of damage along the way. “Rats can gnaw through wood, insulation, and wires to create nests, and access food inside your home,” Cox explains. “They can also cause your appliances to short and are a common cause of house fires.”

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Watch: No Ratatouille Here! Here’s How To Rid Your Home of Rodents

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2. All types of food

What attracts rats? Simple: food! Rats aren’t picky eaters. Milk, meat, veggies, soap, leather, fur—it’s all good to them. This explains why “the first thing that attracts rats to a house is garbage bins, if they are not well-covered with lids,” points out Robert Benanti, broker and owner of 365 Realty, in Orlando, FL. If you have any unsecured food in your home —say, bags of pet food, birdseed, or even grass seed— rats will sniff it out.

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3. Pet waste and compost

On the topic of food: If rats are attracted to all types of food, then they’re attracted to digested food, too. Your pile of compost or yard littered with dog waste is a Vegas buffet to them.

4. Dripping pipes

Hey, a busy rat is a thirsty rat.

“Rats need a daily source of water, and if they can’t find it outside, they will be attracted to indoor sources,” says Chelle Hartzer, an Orkin entomologist. Have a small leak in a pipe somewhere? Or drippy sprinkler heads, pet water bowls you keep outside, or even a birdbath? Rats will see a watering hole—and stick around for the easy hydration.

5. Easy access

Rats don’t ring the doorbell and ask to be invited in. (You’re thinking of vampires.) If you have a hole or crack in your home that’s larger than a half-inch, a rat can squeeze itself through. Also, “they can climb trees, making this a common way for them to access your attic,” Cox says. Roof soffits and vents are other clever ways for rats to come into your house.

6. Indoor plants

“Indoor fruit plants and nut trees are attractive to rats, especially roof rats, who will seek out fruit,” Hartzer says. Plus “rats often take advantage of large, potted plants as a safe spot indoors.”

What attracts rats and how to keep them away

Ask any rodent expert and they’ll assure you: “Getting rodents to simply leave is very difficult, and not guaranteed to work,” Cox says. “We preach that it’s easier to prevent infestations than to remove them.”

To do that:

Look for leaks. Do this on a regular basis. If you find any, seal or fix them right away. Store all food in plastic containers. “Rats can chew through cardboard,” Cox notes. Cover your trash with a tight-fitting lid. Cox suggests feeding your pets on a schedule, rather than leaving food out all day and night. Think like a rat. Check the perimeter of your home for easy access points. “Seal holes larger than a quarter-inch in diameter, cracks in the walls and floors, and spaces around doors, windows, and plumbing,” says Ben Williamson, senior international media director for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

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Seal roof soffits and vents with a material rats don’t like to eat: steel wool, for instance, or a mesh screen. If you think overhead utility wires are serving as a “highway,” contact your utility company or a pest control pro for help. Keep a clean yard. Besides picking up dog poop, stack firewood away from your home—not up against it. Bushes and plants should be weed-free and at least 18 inches away from the house, Williamson also advises.

If rats still come a-knockin’…

Despite her rat aversion, Parks, a pet owner and animal lover, shies away from rat poisoning. “The most effective, sanitary, and humane way I’ve found to rid a house of rats is to remove the wall Sheetrock and the insulation, so they have no cozy place left and move on,” she says. Parks has also had luck using peppermint (rats supposedly hate the smell), steel wool (they don’t like the texture), and spray foam to block small access areas. “Killing them is not a long-term solution as other rats will simply move into the newly available spaces,” Williamson says. “After rat-proofing your building, give the remaining animals a chance at life by live-trapping and releasing them outdoors.” You can find live traps in home improvement or hardware stores. To use, smear peanut butter inside and set the traps along any walls or sides of buildings where you’ve seen droppings. Check them hourly, and make sure to disable them when not in use.

Hopefully, you’ll never have to deploy them.

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Watch: Head Off a Termite Invasion: 5 Smart Strategies

realtor.com - How Do Rats Get in Your House? 6 Things Attracting Rats to Your Home

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