How to Get Rid of Rats in Walls

The presence of rats in the walls is a nightmare for homeowners largely because of how inaccessible these areas tend to be. If you hear scurrying, scratching and/or running noises in the walls at night, there is a good chance you have some sort of rodent in your residence and need to call rat control services. The most likely offender is rats but it is also worth noting that raccoons and squirrels are other potential culprits.

Rats Living in Walls

Walls may seem like a strange place for rodent activity but there might be a few reasons why they are in your wall. Not to mention they rats have the means to nest in your home as well!

The first and most likely is the rodents are using your walls as a runway for getting to and from their nest and scavenging areas. Walls are home to electrical wires and plumbing which provide a convenient highway linking the exterior of your home (where the rats go to scavenge) and your attic (where the rodents actually live).

The second possibility is the rat accidentally fell in the wall from the attic. An unfortunate rat, in this case, may find the walls too slick to climb back up to safety. The rat will struggle, scratch and exhaust itself attempting to get out which might be the reason for the insistent noise in your walls.

Finally, the rats may be living in the wall. Rats will happily nest inside walls where it is warm, dark and safe. These three factors also make it a great place for breeding.

Knowing why there are rats in the wall in the first place helps to inform your decision on how to catch  rats.

How to Get Rid of Rats in the Walls

Setting rat traps Toronto in the walls is impossible while poisoning the rats is not a good idea. If the rats die inside the walls and you have no way of removing them, you will have to deal with the offending odour of rotting corpses.

The first step is to inspect your home thoroughly to seal off all possible entry points. Pay special attention to ground level gaps such as under the siding, A/C or outer walls. Seal the holes, preferably with steel mesh that the rodents can’t chew through. Place traps in the attic near the entrance to the wall to catch the pests.

If there is good access from the attic, inspect the hole to see what’s happening inside. You should be able to spot dead or live rats that might be trapped or living in there. If within arm’s length, wear heavy-duty gloves to remove the pests by hand. Alternatively, use a snare pole or other similar contraption, or lower a rope or piece of lumber to allow live rats to climb out.

If there is no access from the attic you may have no other choice than to create a hole in the wall and repeat the aforementioned procedure.

Can Structural Repairs Keep Mice Out of Your Home and Rats in Cavity Wall?

The effective way to keep rats and mice out of your home permanently is to completely seal off all the entry points and make your home rat/mouse proof. You should understand that for the rats or mice to be in your home, they must have found an easy way to enter your home and thus, irrespective of mouse control program that you choose without structural repairs, other rats and mice will still enter your home. Therefore, before you can think of poisoning, trapping and deodorizing among other remedies, you should first physically restrict the rats from entering your home.

However, finding and sealing structural entry point areas is not easy. It requires a lot of experience and knowledge. This is because if you fail to seal off one single entry point, it makes the whole job ineffective as rodents will still find a way to enter your home. Unfortunately, there is no single rats and mice entry point. This is because they only need one hole anywhere in your structure to enter your home. Nevertheless, some of the common entry points in the attic such as damaged vents and open eaves.

Some of the structural repairs that you can undertake to prevent rats and mice from entering your home include repairing or replacing damaged ventilation screens under the eaves and around your structural foundation. Other remedies include providing cover for the crawl space, using a spark arrester to cover all chimneys, sealing openings around cables, pipes and wires that enter your home and making sure that all windows are screened and in proper condition. You should also carry internal screens on your structural attic and roof to ensure air vents are in good condition and all doors to the outside are weatherproofed and tight fitted at the bottom. You should also remember that pet’s door offers an easy entry point to rodents.

How to Get a Rat Out of The House

You are probably on this page because you have noticed that there could be rodents in your building and are looking for a fast and reliable way to get rid of them. You don’t even have to physically see them, but rats have a way of letting you know that they are around. Common signs include gnawing at furniture, leaving their droppings or even hearing scurrying noises at night. So if any of these signs sound familiar it’s better to call a professional rat control company.

Why Should Rats be Excluded Immediately?

Well, apart from the fact that they are annoying little animals, they also spread diseases like HPS (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome), Leptospirosis, plague and other dangerous infections. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to ensure that effective steps are taken to exterminate these rodents with immediate effect.

Before we discuss this, there are a few facts that we need to establish. A rat will hardly ever be on its own. They breed very fast and within no time you will be looking at a full-scale infestation. This is why you should first of all stop looking at DIY methods and get a professional to tackle the problem with the seriousness it deserves.

The reason we encourage this is that so many people use the wrong method to eliminate their rat problem, leading to loss of money and consequently giving the rodents time to keep multiplying. There are many rat breeds out here in Canada and it takes an expert eye to know the best way to deal with the specific type that is in your commercial or residential building. If you want to explore DIY options, at least get them from a certified exterminator who will have examined the problem first. It could also be dangerous for you to try and get rid of the rats as you would risk contamination since as we had previously mentioned, they carry a lot of diseases.

Rat Control in Ontario

Pest Control Canada has set up policies to protect the environment. Certified companies adhere to these rules and regulations when getting rid of rats, something that you might not be able to do when you take matters into our own hands.

Instruction – Eliminating Rats In The Walls

Rats have similar needs like humans. They too, need a warm, cozy and enjoyable shelter to live in. Our homes can offer this environment including an abundant source of food and water. Consequently, our buildings provide them all the suitable amenities to settle and reproduce. You might be hearing scratching, scurrying or even running noises behind your walls at night. That is a possible sign of a rat infestation. If you suspect any signs of a possible rat outbreak in your premises, do not hesitate to contact our Rat Exterminator Toronto Experts and they will serve your needs instantly.

Regardless of the fact that walls appear to be a strange place for rats to exist, there are several reasons that make them appealing to these little creatures. Primarily, walls are dark and quiet while they have a number of electrical wires and plumbing where rats can make their nests inside homes. That suits them perfectly since they can easily navigate themselves between their nests and their scavenging spots. Additionally, some rats lose their agility and fall in the walls while trying to get to their nest. The efforts of that rat trying to climb up the wall, results in those eerie sounds at night. Finally, walls serve as optimal rat nest environments. They are dark, warm and safe which makes them an excellent breeding ground.

Walls are rather a tricky place to get rid of rats in your building. Traps are obviously impossible to be placed. On the other side, rodenticides will eradicate your rats behind your walls, but it will very likely result in unpleasant odours of corpses that would be almost impossible to remove. The first step for you to take, would be the inspection and the sealing of all the possible entry points. Keep an eye out for ground level gaps in places such as the A/C, under the sliding, air ducts, around pipes or outer walls. Thereupon, seal any holes you might encounter with steel mesh, a material that rats cannot gnaw through. Once sealing is done, you should proceed placing snap traps in the attic near the entry points of the walls. Additionally, you should be able to remove dead or alive rats trapped in there. If they are out of your reach, place some poles or ropes to assist them coming up and eradicate them with your trap presence.

In conclusion, walls are a rather complicated location and the eradication of a rat infestation behind your walls can result in a time-consuming task and multiple headaches. Rats breed and reproduce at an exponential level and they can damage your property seriously while putting your own and your family’s health at risk. Considering all the consequences that a rat infestation at your property might bring, we greatly advise you to call immediately a professional pest control company in the Toronto area. Contact pest control exterminator for further assistance and for a future rat-free property!

Call a Professional Pest Control Company

It is evident that getting rid of rats in walls is no easy task. The best option is to have a professional rat control expert in Canada assess the problem and take the appropriate measures. The expert will also seal all potential entry points especially the ones that are easy to miss and thoroughly clean and sanitize inside the wall which is virtually impossible to do on your own. Call us: 647-496-2211 if you need to get assistance with rat removal and pest control. The Exterminators – Pest Control Toronto offers rat control products for individuals who want to do DIY methods.

Article Updated: December 7, 2020