If you’ve ever had a rat problem, then you’ll know there are many ways you can prevent these pesky creatures from entering your home — especially in the fall and winter.
Yes, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recently released a statistic showing that 45% of all annual rodent infestations happen during the fall and winter months.
So if you haven’t thought about it before, here’s what to do in October to keep rats from coming to life in November or December.
How rats make their way indoors
Not only is the thought of a rat living in your house spine-crawling, but we all know that they can carry diseases. And they eat anything in sight — wires, wood, and food.
They also don’t need an open invitation to come inside; a large hole or an open window is enough to encourage them in. They’re the opposite of escape artists; let’s call them entrance assassins.
The two main culprits in the U.S. are Norway rats and Roof rats, and in cold weather, their survival depends on where they live and feed. So when the temperature drops, rats head closer to the heat — if not indoors, they may go toward the insulation beneath your subfloor, up into your roof (because heat rises), or into a cozy garage.
Did you know?
Rats can squeeze through a gap that’s the size of a quarter; for mice, it’s the size of a dime.
How to prevent rats from entering your home this fall and winter
Lawns and hedging
Let’s start outside because yes, it all makes a huge difference. This might be music to your ears, or you may roll your eyes, but a trimmed lawn is an easy, quick way to deter rats.
The same goes for any foliage: if you cut it back, it won’t attract rats, but the problem starts when it becomes overgrown. While English Ivy looks amazing, in winter it becomes the perfect climbing ladder for these creatures, especially if it’s attached to your house wall. Therefore, check the gap between your hedging and any greenery near an open window.
Open trash
As for your trash cans, cracked or warped containers may attract rats, which can quickly become a huge problem. It’s time to replace them with new ones. Worse still, is if you keep your trash bags outside instead of in a can.
Feeding the birds, and the rats
Love to feed the birds? You might soon change your mind. Bird feeders attract rats this season, which is a shame for the birds, but realistically, you may need to wait until spring. Otherwise, you can feed them huskless seed and use a squirrel guard instead.
Widened 19″ Metal Squirrel Baffle for Bird Feeder Poles, 1 Pack: was $26.99 now $19.99
A game-changer for safe bird feeding in the winter, this also means that those pesky squirrels can’t take any of their food. Easy to install and currently on sale, get it now or regret it later.View Deal
How rats live in winter
Rats don’t hibernate. They try to survive winter in any way they can. As with the hot spots I’ve already mentioned, when it comes to indoor living, rats tend to hide in warm spots.
Behind your giant refrigerator, a dishwasher, or dryer is a safe place for a rat to seek warmth. They love furnaces and hot water pipes, too. Anything that oozes warmth in an otherwise cold room. And don’t forget your loft — any fiberglass up there provides a lovely warm bed for them.
However, rats might also head straight to your garage, especially if you store extra food or pet food there, so it’s worth rethinking what you store and where. If you can’t change the storage spot, keep food in airtight, rat-proof metal containers. Inside your home, store food in plastic packets, away from your garage, and ideally move it to an airtight plastic or glass container.
For any external doors, like the one from your home into your garage, it’s smart to invest in a few rodent-proof door sweeps. Just in case they make their way inside through a tiny door crack. They will also be handy when you turn on the heating, since they’ll keep valuable heat from escaping.
Heavy rain also drives rats indoors,so keep ahead of the weather forecast and secure your home before rats become a problem.
4 Pack 36″Door Sweep, Aluminum Rodent Proof Bottom Seal Strip Black: $57.99
Amazon’s Choice for a reason, you can buy a 4-pack to save more money and use these in more places than one. Easy to screw into your door, there’s a rubber strip along the bottom of the stopper that ensures it is fully rat-proof. It can even seal gaps 1-inch wide.View Deal
Good to know
If you religiously search your home for holes and fill them, ready for rat season, then bear in mind that what you fill them with matters. Rats can chew through plastic, rubber, or standard vinyl caulk. Instead, copper mesh wool is totally rat-proof. You can then seal it with silicone caulk, so it looks better.
Copper Mesh Rodent Control Kit, 5 Inch x 35ft: $18.37
You can only buy this in a large roll, but truly, you never know when you’ll need it. Included is literally everything you need to secure your home from rodents, including safety gloves, scissors, and a packing tool to help push it into a hole or two.View Deal
- 5 ways to tell the difference between mice or rats in your home
- How to rat-proof your yard — 5 expert tips to keep rodents away
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