Not sure how to tell if there’s an increased rat activity in your home? Here’s some things to look for:

Roof damage

To create cosy nesting areas and widen entry points to your home, you may find rats have gnawed holes and damaged insulation in your roof.

Gnaw marks

Known for their relentless gnawing, rats will leave behind bite and gnaw marks on your walls and doors, timber structures, furniture, metal and plastic objects, as well as cardboard and paper based products in your home.

Grease marks

If you notice dark rub marks around your skirtings and walls, this could well be the result of greasy rat fur and may be a sign that the area has high foot (paw!) traffic.

Droppings

Like large grains of black rice, rat droppings are normally 1-2cm long, brown-black coloured and form a pointed oval shape. They will turn grey when dried out.

Unpleasant odour

An accumulation of rat droppings and urine isn’t just messy, it leaves behind a strong, musty and sour smell that lingers in your home.

Noises in your roof

Rats are normally most active at dusk and dawn, and you’ll often hear scratching, gnawing, scampering, rustling, chomping, clawing and squeaking sounds coming from your roof space just as you’re trying to get your beauty sleep!

With the ability to reproduce quickly and at a young age, it doesn’t take long for a large population of pesky rats to be established. We’ve put together our top four tips so that you can make sure this doesn’t happen at your home:

Identify and proof all access points to your home

Quick, nimble and possessing sharp teeth which can gnaw through timber and insulation, rats can squeeze through the smallest of gaps and enter your home. However, by regularly inspecting your roof and exterior parts of your building for any holes, openings and cracks, and then sealing them, you’ll create less opportunities for a rat infestation in your home. We recommend:

• Sealing gaps with waterproof silicone or other appropriate fillers
• Reinforcing windows and doors with weather strips

Remove attractants

Hungry rats can detect food smells from up to 2km away and will actively scavenge for resources when the weather cools down. To keep them away from your yard consider:

• Keeping outdoor dining areas clean and wiping down barbecues
• Storing food in tightly sealed containers
• Keeping less fruit and vegetable plants
• Remove pet food, bird and chicken feed overnight

Waste management

Easy to access with plenty of food scraps on offer, rubbish bins, compost and waste areas are popular feeding sites for rats. You can avoid this problem by:

• Keeping waste areas clean and disinfected
• Washing rubbish bins regularly with detergent and hot water
• Ensuring that rubbish is stored in sturdy bags and bins have well-fitted lids
• Emptying bins regularly to prevent overflow

DIY rat deterrents

You can purchase ultrasonic rat deterrent devices and place them around your yard, making it a more hostile place for rats to visit. These targeted devices emit unpleasant ultrasonic sounds that are only detected by rats and not people.

Another natural approach is to apply strongly scented homemade sprays around your garden. These can be made by mixing water with eucalyptus and citronella oils, vinegar or cayenne pepper. Use this method with caution, however, if you have pets.

With the weather cooling down, the last thing you need to worry about is rats running around your home and leaving a mess.

Rest assured, Allstate has you covered.

Our friendly and highly trained pest technicians are always fully equipped with modern and targeted treatments to successfully resolve rat problems in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

Since 1986, Allstate has provided premium pest control services to all suburbs of Adelaide.

We’re available 24/7 for urgent enquiries and offer payment plans and competitive warranties on all our treatments.

Don’t let a few rats turn into a full blown infestation and ruin your cosy winter plans – reach out to Allstate today.

As nocturnal creatures, rats are generally most active when you’re fast asleep. However, there are still several ways to tell if you have a rat infestation. Here’s how:

Droppings

Black, elongated in shape, and resembling rice grains, rat droppings are typically 12-18mm long.

Noises in your roof

If you’re hearing squeaking, scurrying or even gnawing sounds above your ceiling, or in your roof and walls between dusk and dawn, it could be coming from pesky rats.

Rat nests

Though these are usually well hidden to protect their young, rat nests typically resemble a messy pile of foraged scraps such as twigs, leaves, cardboard, wood and fabric offcuts.

Unpleasant odour

If left to accumulate and decompose, particularly during an outbreak, rat droppings and urine leave behind a sour, musty smell.

Gnaw marks

With constantly growing teeth, rats keep them filed down by finding things to chew. Carefully inspect your electrical cables, conduits, timber, plaster and pipes for tell-tale bite indentations.

Greasy fur marks

If your skirtings and walls seem to need cleaning and scrubbing more often because they look scruffier, greasier, and worse for wear, this could be due to rats travelling alongside to and from their nest.

Burrow holes

Look for disturbed soil with a burrow entrance around the perimeter of your home.

Food debris

If you’re noticing more food crumbs and partially eaten food scattered around your home and yard, it could be due to hungry rats.

You can easily prevent a rat outbreak this winter by following these recommendations from our resident rat control experts:

1. Regularly inspect your roof for potential entry points

Carefully check your roof, gutters and eaves for small access points and damage. This includes vents, holes, gaps, cracks and crevices, which rats can easily flex and squeeze through.

Once you locate them, you can install chimney grates and caps, and fit weather strips around doors and windows. You can cover larger openings with a tough wire mesh, and fill others with silicone, caulk, putty and other waterproof sealants, which are easily available through hardware stores.

2. Keep your roof and gutters clean

Reduce the amount of available nesting material that accumulates on your roof by regular gutter cleaning and yard maintenance. This includes removing fallen leaves, branches and twigs, and trimming trees and vegetation so they are away from your home. Consider installing gutter guards as an added layer of protection.

3. Rat deterrent devices

Consider installing humane and weatherproof electronic and ultrasonic rat deterrent devices. Operated by motion sensors, these emit silent ultrasonic frequency waves, which confuse rats and discourage them from entering your roof.

4. Remove all sources of food and water

Keep rats away from your yard by removing fruit, vegetables and nuts in your garden, as well as pet food, bird feed and chicken feed. Ensure that all cooked food in your kitchen is covered and tightly stored away.

Then, a rat control plan will be actioned to remove nests and seal over entry points. Finally, to reduce the population of rats, we’ll use the following methods, replenishing the treatments when needed:

Chemical baits

Safely stored within tamper-proof stations, our chemical baits contain a targeted rodenticide. We’ll position these at strategic locations to discourage pesky rats from entering inside.

Physical traps

Effective in heavier infestations, rat-sized traps are positioned in highly trafficked areas to stop scurrying rats in their tracks.

Since warehouses and distribution facilities are ideal places for rodents to hide, nest and breed, this can create havoc in the workplace. Rodent problems can include:

Damage to stock, supplies, equipment and buildings

With their strong, continuously growing teeth, rodents can chew through packaging, wood, plaster and insulation, as well as electrical wiring. In addition to the damage, they can create a significant mess with gnawed food, scraps and crumbs.

Contamination and spreading infections

Rodents are notoriously unhygienic. They can carry germs and diseases in their fur, saliva and droppings, such as Salmonella, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis and rat bite fever. They contaminate surfaces, utensils, floors and equipment and leave staff and customers feeling unwell.

Rodent proofing [insert link: https://allstatepest.com.au/rats/how-to-get-rid-of-rats-in-winter/] your business is the best way to avoid the complications of an infestation. We recommend the following tips for a rodent-free workplace:

• Inspect your building for all potential rat and mouse entry points [insert link: https://allstatepest.com.au/rats/7-tips-to-keep-rats-out-of-your-house-this-winter/] and seal them over
• Rodents are incredibly flexible and have the ability to squeeze through tiny gaps, so cover all gaps, cracks and crevices as soon as you notice them.
• Regularly inspect less-frequented storage areas as they make great hiding spots for rodents to build nests
• Follow safe food handling and storage practices, removing all sources of water and clearing away food spills immediately
• Maintain high hygiene standards by minimising clutter, and regularly clean using industrial strength products
• Regularly maintain yards and outdoor areas by keeping plants and trees trimmed away from your building and removing piles of vegetation
• Keeping rubbish bins and waste tightly sealed

Preventing rodents and other pests from entering distribution facilities is best achieved with a comprehensive pest management strategy.

Proven to keep customers, clients and employees safe from pest outbreaks, Allstate’s Integrated Pest Management program is the recommended approach to ensure that your business runs smoothly and pest-free everyday.

Beginning with an initial assessment of your property, your assigned pest technician will check for any existing pest control systems and identify all potential risks. They then use this information to put together a compliant and comprehensive pest management solution that meets all government health and safety regulations.

For your convenience, you’ll have 24/7 access via our online portal to your tailored pest management program, as well as all compliance documentation and inspection reports. You can instantly lodge any new problems with your assigned pest technician and receive a fast response and avoid unnecessary delays.

No matter the size or complexity of your distribution facility, speak to Allstate today to learn how we can help you to keep rodents away for good.