Rats are an extremely invasive species that commonly infest residential attics. When dealing with a rat infestation, it is important to understand the risks of letting the pests linger in your home for too long. If action is not immediately taken, rats will quickly nest, reproduce, and spread contamination and disease throughout your home. Here are some of the threats that rats in attic spaces can unleash on your home.
Risks of Rats in Attics
Rats can be a nuisance regardless of where they are located in your home. However, attic rats, also called citrus or black rats, may cause more issues simply because they are harder to find. Some of the problems caused by rats in attic areas include:
Disease
You can catch many illnesses from rats living in your attic. Rats are known to carry dangerous diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, rat-bite fever, leptospirosis, salmonella, and the bubonic plague. Each of these diseases can be passed to humans and pets from infected rats through bites, scratches, and exposure to droppings.
Allergies
Certain chemicals found in rodent hair and waste can trigger allergic reactions in humans, specifically asthma attacks.
Damage
The damage that rats create is one of the more obvious signs of a rat infestation. Rats will chew on anything they can, including insulation, drywall, wires, furniture, doors, cardboard boxes, etc. Rats also shred attic insulation, contaminate surfaces and food supplies, and leave grease stains from their fur on floors, walls, and any openings they’ve rubbed against.
Disturbances
Though rats are nocturnal and may not be seen while living in your home, their presence can definitely be heard and smelt. Rats make disturbing scurrying, scratching, and squeaking noises that can keep you up at night. The pests also leave droppings on attic floors and soak insulation with urine, resulting in foul, toxic smells throughout the home.
Fire
When rats chew on electrical wiring, it can lead to electricity shortages and fire hazards within your home.
How to Deal with Rats in Attic
In addition to your attic, inspecting all areas of your home is essential to discover the source of your rat problem. Rats are agile and can easily make their way into the main areas of your home, causing detrimental problems for you, your family, and your property. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary precautions to get rid of rats before more serious issues occur. The most proven method for stopping a rat infestation is to hire a trustworthy rat removal service.
Rely on Expert Rat Removal Services
At Animal Wildlife Trappers, our top priority is the effective and safe removal of unwanted pests from your home and attic. Our licensed technicians are trained and equipped to inspect your property, remove all nuisance rats, and prevent infestations from returning.
Call us today at 352-267-0546 to schedule an inspection and receive a free rat removal estimate.