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OutdoorsRodents
May 15, 2023

Charlotte's Handy Guide To Roof Rat Control

Roof rats, known for infesting homes via the roof, pose significant health and property risks. These rodents can carry diseases like salmonella and E.Coli and can damage homes by chewing through various materials. While prevention can be challenging, professional assistance, like Aruza Pest Control, offers the most effective solution.

As Charlotte residents, we tend to think that our city is the jewel of the Carolinas. So, naturally, we never really consider having rat problems. After all, rats only infest dirty, contaminated neighborhoods, homes, and properties…right? Well, unfortunately, if you have this mindset towards a potential rat infestation, you could quickly fall victim to a roof rat infestation that not only puts your home at risk but your health as well.

roof rat in an attic

Roof Rat Risks

Roof rats, who get their name from their affinity for invading homes through the roof and nesting in attic spaces, are typically brown to dark brown in color. Measuring six to eight inches long (not including the six-inch tail), roof rats can pose an intimidating figure in your home. However, the size of these invasive rodents is the least of your worries.

Also known as black rats or ship rats, they have both relied on humans for food and posed a health risk to their hosts for hundreds of years. While they might not pose as much of a scourge to sea-faring explorers these days, they can be very dangerous inside your house. Spending most of their time in sewers, dumpsters, and other highly contaminated areas, roof rats are known carriers of bacteria. As they spread this bacteria around your house, it can open you up to dangerous diseases like salmonella, E.Coli, and the bubonic plague (in very rare cases).

Along with health hazards, roof rats can cause hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage in your home and around your property. They have incredibly sharp teeth and are capable of chewing through a variety of materials like wood, drywall, aluminum siding, and more. This also puts your stored items at risk, many homeowners report roof rat infestations damaging any decorations or linens that were stored in drawers, closets, or cardboard boxes. Call the experts at Aruza Pest Control for an inspection!

Prevention Priorities

These sharp teeth also make roof rats very difficult to keep out of your home. Plus, their bodies are extremely flexible, so they can often find their way in through openings no larger than a nickel. Using their sharp teeth to rip through shingles or enlarge pre-existing holes, roof rats like to climb to the roof and search for the most easily accessible entry point. Prevention can be a pain, and the results are often inconsistent. However, with the extreme risks that roof rats bring to your Charlotte property, it is still worth trying your best to keep them out. The following tips are the best methods of avoiding an infestation:

  • Seal up holes and cracks with silicone caulking
  • Monitor any screens for holes or tears
  • Make sure outdoor trash cans have heavy, well-secured lids
  • Store pet and bird food in sealed containers
  • Pick up fruit that may fall from trees in the yard
  • Eliminate outdoor water sources, as these attract roof rats on the property in the first place
  • Trim back branches and bushes that roof rats can use for climbing onto the roof
  • Place caps on all roof vents and chimneys

Guaranteed Solutions

Unfortunately, you can get all of these things right and still wind up with a roof rat infestation. While this might be a dangerous situation, you’ll only make it worse by trying to get rid of them yourself. Roof rats are highly prolific, so store-bought remedies like traps and poison are not only hazardous, but they’ll also have a hard time keeping up with the high reproduction rates of roof rats.

With the threat of dangerous diseases and home damage on the line, why would you waste your time and money on anything other than a guaranteed solution? The most effective form of roof rat control is to enlist professional help. Contact Aruza Pest Control today for more advice or assistance.

Kayla Fitzwilliam

Still studying at Clemson University, Kayla joined Aruza for a brief internship where she learned about pest control and helped develop content for the company. Kayla is passionate and continues to exceed expectations wherever she goes.

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