Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Get Rid of Rats in the Roof
How to Get Rid of Rats in the Roof. Rats are rodents that look like mice but are much bigger. There are several different types of rats, including roof rats. Roof rats are rats that live in warmer climates, usually near the coast. They are expert climbers and often enter attics after climbing trees to get on the roof of a home. Rats can cause...
Rats are rodents that look like mice but are much bigger. There are several different types of rats, including roof rats. Roof rats are rats that live in warmer climates, usually near the coast. They are expert climbers and often enter attics after climbing trees to get on the roof of a home. Rats can cause disease by urinating and defecating throughout your home, and they can also chew through your wires. If you find that you have an infestation of rats, you will need to remove them as soon as possible.
Things You'll Need
Boards
Caulk
Rat traps
Peanut butter
Examine your roof and attic. Look for any locations where a rat could get in. These openings do not have to be very large. The rats may be getting in a vent, or using your gutters as entry points. It is also a good idea to make sure there are no holes in your roof.
Board up any larger openings that you see on your roof or near your attic, and caulk the smaller openings. This will keep any future rats from getting in. It will also trap the rats you have in the attic so that you can catch them.
Set up several wooden rat traps. Make sure you get rat traps and not mouse traps, or they won't be big enough. Place some peanut butter on the rat traps to entice the rats. Set them in several different corners of your attic where you have noticed rat droppings.
Go up in your attic, and check and empty the rat traps each day until you are no longer catching rats. You can leave one or two rat traps out just in case there is a rat left that you have not caught.
Tips & Warnings
Make sure you are wearing gloves when you dispose of the rats. It is best to place the rats in a plastic bag, and then place that bag in a second plastic bag. You can then throw the bags in a trash can.
Do not use poison to kill the rats in your attic. They will end up dying somewhere in your house. If that is inside of your walls, the smell will be horrid.
You will need to have your attic decontaminated after you have removed all of the rats. Rat droppings can result in diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. If you are not comfortable decontaminating the attic yourself, hire a professional.
