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Guaranteed Rat Control, Removal, & Prevention in Orlando Florida

Rat Prevention

Is prevention the best medicine? When it comes to rats, prevention will cure those rat blues. You probably aren't seeking our professional help unless you already have a rat problem, which we can solve, but prevention will be part of our solution, and it will go a long way toward keeping your home rat-free permanently.
Here are the best ways to prevent rats:
  • Permanently seal all entry points into the building: click here for examples.
  • Deodorize the attic to eliminate attracting pheromone odors: click here for info.
  • Keep garbage, especially food or pet food, to a minimum on the property.
  • If you have fruit trees, they will attract rats. At least pick up fallen fruit.
  • Keep trees trimmed and away from the house - trees provide easy roof access.
  • The less general debris, clutter, and hiding spaces on the property the better.
Here is an example of a preventative repair:

BEFORE: Rats could enter the home where wire pushed through this soffit vent hole.
 
AFTER: I seal the hole with a proper soffit vent cover to prevent entry.

Now, just because lowering the amount of debris, plantlife, tree limbs, etc around a home will help lessen rodent habitat, it is by no means a solution. I've seen rat problems in areas that were 100% clean with no plantlife - rats can thrive anywhere. The most important steps are the first two outlined in the bullet-points above - eliminating the entry points, and eliminating the special pheromone scent that rats leave behind to attract other rats. Read about rat phermomones here.

What Property Modification will keep down Rat Populations?

Generally speaking, rats are unwanted guests in most buildings as they habitually cause considerable damage to the properties that they inhabit. The pesky rodents do not only plague residential buildings, but can also be found in commercial buildings, churches, monasteries, schools, and offices. Rats are capable of chewing through a wide range of materials, from wood to cable, loose bricks, and even weak metals. As a result, solving the problems associated with their nuisance is usually not an easy task.

While a complete eradication of rats can amount to an uphill task, an important step towards achieving a rat-free residence is to reduce their populations considerably through property modification. This implies rat-proofing the property to a large extent.

The known and suspected entry points of the rats into the building are identified and specific steps are taken to block each of these points. Learn more about How to Inspect a House for Rat Entry Holes here.

1. Windows and doors constitute a common entry point for rats into vulnerable buildings. These should therefore, be modified with sturdy materials that cannot be chewed through by the sharp canines – such as metals or thick concrete.

2. Another way to rat-proof doors and windows is to raise them, if possible, to a height that rats would have a hard time climbing to. This would work in many cases, with the exception of those cases involving a few rat species that are very good climbers.

3. Electric cables and other rope-like materials should be well concealed in the building’s interior or inside walls. Rats are adept at climbing cables and wires, using them as a medium to scale walls. Inspect your property and remove all hanging cable and ropes.

4. Any fancy brick with porous patterns in the fencing of a rat infested building should be replaced with solid bricks. While fancy bricks are useful for beautifying a house, they inadvertently provide the perfect openings for rats to enter and leave a property at will.

5. Damaged soffits and decking also constitute an easy waybill for rats in ageing properties. So do holes in the attic walls or rafters, broken roofs etc. Such openings and damaged components should be identified and sealed with thick concrete and metals. Also on this list are drains and sewer pipes; they should be promptly repaired to discourage rats and other wildlife seeking shelter.

6. Check the plumbing pipes for any breaks, or brown rat grease. This is a strong indication of possible rat entry through the plumbing system. Read about rats entering via plumbing here.

If property modification is undertaken conscientiously, then the rat populations are well on the way to being exterminated in any given situation.

I also have friends in other cities that service these areas: Tampa Rat Control is my friend Mike, and Boca Raton Rat Control is my friend Patrick, and he also services Fort Lauderdale Pest Control as well. These friends have trained under me, and are excellent at rat control.

How to keep rats away - Rats are one of the most problematic animals people have to deal with. Statistics show these rodents outnumber humans, and a rat infestation can multiply quickly and get out of control. Keeping rats away is not as easy as buying stock in mothballs or peppermint oil or investing in the acquisition of a large cat. Rat prevention comes from basic home maintenance and good sanitation. You are responsible for the upkeep of your property. If you can keep your yard manicured and free of rubble, your chances of drawing in rats will be lower. Sometimes neighbors are the problem. In this situation, the best you can do is to keep your home buttoned down and free of damage that might result in a rat invasion. No hole is too small for a rat. Any opening can be widened through chewing if the animal feels it is worth the effort. Rats want to be safe and hidden while remaining near to their food source. Close any and all potential openings into your home. Grate off pipes and vents. Cap chimneys, even those not in use. If you live in an urban setting and have secured your home as much as possible, you can still set snap traps along your perimeter to snag the occasional rat. With so many other locations that are not cared for, rats will not waste much energy trying to invade a home that has been well maintained.

Prevent mice or rats mothballs or peppermint - If you’ve decided to try a smelly deterrent despite the mixed reviews regarding rodent control, you may be wondering which method is best: mothballs or peppermint. No matter which substance you select you will be faced with similar dilemmas. How will you put enough of the substance down to make it effective? Where should it be placed? How much is too much? Do you need to worry about your children and pets? If you’re looking for the most holistic approach, peppermint oil has none of the carcinogenic properties that mothballs do. Mothballs can cause death if ingested by children or pets. Peppermint oil will not result in mortality unless an allergic event occurs. Both substances will need to be put down in significant amounts to make any difference in the atmosphere of the home. The gallons of peppermint oil will fade away quickly, while skids of mothballs will create toxic vapors for people as well as rodents. While peppermint oil is the safer way to go, the reality is that rodents are rarely deterred by either odor. When it comes to rodent control, the one and only proven method is to trap the pests and remove their markings and scent trails from the building.

Read more articles I wrote here:
What to do about rats in a rental property
Who is responsible for rat removal, tenants or landlords?
What if a rat got inside my house, bedroom, kitchen, etc.
What property modifications will keep down rat populations?
Home remedies to keep away rats and get rid of them
Will homeowners insurance pay for rat damage? (not usually)
Do rats bite sleeping babies?
Will a rat in the attic have a nest of babies?
Why do rats exist?
How rats communicate using pheromones
What is a rat’s mating habits? (both Black Rat and Norway Rat)
If I have one rat, are there more?
How to get rid of rats outside
How to keep rats out of my garden
How to keep rats out of my garbage
How to get rats out of the garage

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