Rats! The word alone sends shivers down our spine. Everyone hates these rodents, at least when they show up uninvited in your home. When you learn that rodents spread more than 30 different diseases, finding places where rats hide in your house becomes an issue you need to tackle as quickly as possible.
Rats are resistant critters, and they can be very sneaky with their hiding locations. Sometimes it can take you weeks or even months to locate where they are hiding! Chances are they’ll make significant damage by that time.
Luckily, if you know some common places where rats hide in your house, you know where to start. Below are 9 areas that you might want to check out!
Basement
One of the most common places where rats hide in your house is the basement. The basement has everything a rat loves, from dark hiding spots to food supplies. In fact, the basement is likely the first place any vermin will visit.
Rats come to your house from ground level. The basement is easy to reach as it doesn’t require any climbing. They just need to go down to the dark and moist area, a behavior that is already a part of their instincts
A common place for rats to hide is around the pipes or even inside the holes if there are some. This is usually where you might also find entry holes.
First, make sure to seal any gaps rats might use to get in or out of the basement. Then, proceed with extermination measures, such as poison or traps.
Attic
As attics are located right under the roof, they are usually well isolated. This makes them a perfect rodent home!
Rats are excellent climbers and getting into the attic is no big deal for them. They can squeeze through tiny holes or even run up the walls!
As such, if you notice any rat droppings or ruined cardboard and insulation boards, chances are this is where these little pests are located.
To keep them away, make sure you’ve sealed any gaps you might find, no matter how small they seem to be. Also, make sure to keep any food or garbage cans away from the attic. Otherwise, you are inviting unwanted guests in!
Walls and Ceiling
Are you noticing a rat problem? Don’t leave any gaps in walls and ceilings!
A clear indication that you’re having rats inside your walls is if you hear scratching noises coming from them, especially during the night.
Installing resilient channels is a proven way of reducing sound transmission between walls and ceilings. Not just that, but it can help you get rid of rats!
Because with resilient channels, it makes it easier to control any gap between, say, drywall and studs.
After you are done with drywalls, make sure there are no gaps between the electrical outlet box and the wall. Different bugs and termites could use these gaps to get inside.
To fill them in, we suggest using an acoustic sealant or a backer rod.
Drains and Sewers
Did you know that rats are amazing swimmers? They can come into your home through sewers and drains, including even through your toilet. In fact, this is a rather common scenario. This also means that stories of seeing a rat coming out of the toilet are more than just myths.
While this is a rare occurrence for people living in apartments, if you live inside a house, it might be a good idea to install an anti-rodent barrier onto all drains.
Such barriers will enable waste to leave your property, but they’ll prevent anything from coming inside through the sewers.
Once you’ve made sure pests cannot enter your bathroom, it’s time to start dealing with rats. If you don’t feel like the bathroom is a good place for any toxins, try using bait traps. There are even some fairly humane options out there.
Loft
The loft is yet another perfect spot for all sorts of pests! It’s an open space, located right under the roof – a perfect choice for rats and mice that can go through even the tiniest of holes.
An obvious sign that you’re having a rat problem is if you notice not just droppings, but also paw marks. Since most lofts are fairly dusty, it’s easy to see if something was sneaking around.
As this is an open space, you can use the most common rat traps to eradicate them. From poison to classic mouse traps, anything will work.
Also, once again, make sure to seal any holes in the walls or ceiling that rats might use to get in the loft. Otherwise, you’re dealing with a symptom and not the problem itself.
Sheds
Sheds are rat magnets! They are usually made out of wood, but even plastic and metal ones are a no match for these critters. Not to mention they are located outdoors, and they are rarely used as much as most rooms inside the house.
Any extermination method will work well for sheds. However, if you don’t protect your shed from rats, the problem will occur once again.
By now, it’s probably clear you should seal any gaps you can find. The best sealant is metal plates, as rats can bite through most other materials.
However, you should also declutter to ensure rats don’t have any hiding spots. Also, don’t store food in the sheds, as this will attract all sorts of pests.
Under Refrigerators
Refrigerators don’t seem like good hiding spots for rats, as they are sealed shut. What you might not realize is that vermin will love to hide under fridges. This area is warm, and dark, and helps them stay hidden. Not to mention that the kitchen and all the tasty food is nearby!
Of course, refrigerators are not the only location rats love to hide in. They’ll love locations such as the power supply unit or behind the stove.
While it might be impossible to seal all hiding spots rats might use, the best advice is to make sure you never leave any food laying around. Avoid leaving it in bags, as well. Rats and mice have sharp teeth that can chew through most things. All food must be properly sealed in areas rats can’t reach.
Be very careful when dealing with rats in the kitchen. Always use mechanical traps instead of poison. You don’t want to risk damaging your own health, and accidents can always happen, no matter how careful you are.
Garage
Most garage doors have tiny gaps. This is an excellent entry point for vermin such as rats. Once they get inside, they’ll nest and start chewing on everything. Yes, this might even mean your car.
A good device you might use is a rat sound repellant. It uses ultrasonic waves humans can’t hear to keep most animals away. This will include rats, mice, and other rodents. Some devices can be heard by rats alone!
Another great invention that will work amazing for spacious areas such as the garage is a rat zapper device.
Of course, all of this will be for nothing if you don’t seal the garage doors properly. You can use door brush strips for this. Many strips are designed with garage doors in mind.
Garden
While the garden isn’t technically inside your home, this is still a common location where rats love to hide. It’s easy to see why – there are plenty of places for them to hide in, not to mention many things they can chew on.
From plants and wooden furniture to dog poop –rats will love everything about your garden!
Fortunately, it’s easy to spot rats inside the garden. Just look for holes, as rodents love to dig. You might also find droppings and notice chew marks on your furniture, ornaments, or plants.
Next to decluttering, the best way to get rid of rat infestation inside your garden is to use poisonous baits. Just make sure to keep children and pets inside until you’ve dealt with your pest problem!
Bottom Line
Having rats is no fun! No one is happy about having any type of vermin inside their house, let alone those that can carry diseases and illnesses. They are destructive and bad for your health, and you mustn’t allow them to roam freely inside your property.
Once you’ve found all the places where rats hide in your house, you should act quickly. Rats breed rather quickly, and in just weeks – if not days – you might be dealing with dozens of rats! Every day you wait might result in more pests.
Don’t forget to rat-proof every problematic area. Even if you get rid of all rats inside your house, new ones will appear if you didn’t conduct proper precautionary measures. As such, it’s always important to seal everything before you place traps.
Don’t hesitate to call pest control if you cannot deal with the infestation on your own.
