Rat Prevention

The two primary ways to prevent rats from entering your home or structure is by being vigilant with sanitation to not provide sources of food, water, and shelter and by ensuring that your structure has no avenues for possible entry.

Sanitation

Poor sanitation and the presence of garbage help rats survive in residential areas. Good sanitation will effectively limit the number of rats that can survive in and around the home by reducing sources of food, water, and shelter. This involves good housekeeping, proper storage and handling of food materials and refuse, and elimination of rodent shelter. Control weeds and remove debris and clutter around structures all of which serves as potential housing for rodents. Keep your grass cut, avoid open compost bins, clean pet food bowls after they have been used. Don’t keep pet food and water out overnight. Pet feces can be an attractant to rodents. If you allow your dog in the back yard keep it clean. Keep your kitchen and home free of open food sources and scraps at all time. Ideally, all places where food is stored or used should be rodent-proof. Store bulk foods and dry pet foods in containers with tight-fitting lids. Take kitchen rubbish out daily and make sure the bags are stored in heavy duty bins with sealed lids.

Rat-Proof Construction

The most effective and permanent form of rat control is to deny them access to the structure in the first place. Seal any openings larger than ¼ inch to exclude both rats and mice. Openings where utility conduits enter buildings should be sealed tightly with metal or concrete. Equip drains and sewer pipes with tight fitting grates that will prevent rodent access. Doors, windows, and screens should fit tightly. If necessary, over edges with metal sheets to deter gnawing.

You can read more about us and about our company history. See why you should choose Cowley's.  We offer customers help with residential pest control, commercial pest control, residential termite management, and offer other additional services.  We help customers exterminate bed bugs, termites, wood destroying insects, beetles, carpenter bees, ants, rodents, ticks, stinkbugs, and offer bird control and nuisance wildlife services.