Deterring Rats Los From Your Home

Where Do Rats Like To Hide?

The rats that live in Los Angeles County are street-smart rodents that have things pretty well figured out. They will do anything that it takes in order to survive, and part of that means hiding in order to have access to the sustenance that they need, like food, water, and shelter. Because rats are very good climbers and are likely to utilize a tree that's come into contact with a home, one of the first places that they end up and stay is an attic. This part of the home provides rats with a little bit of everything that they need. Attics mean access to a resident's food supply, but it also means isolation, clutter, and somewhere that doesn't get disturbed often. The attic is the ultimate private hiding spot.

Rats also like to live inside of walls, which can make determining the extent of an infestation truly difficult. Walls give rats access to warm shelter via insulation and are notoriously good spots for building nests. These walls are also usually located near a food or water source, like the kitchen, so that rats don't need to travel far. Another place where rats look to live is the basement. Again, this is a place where not many people go, especially if it's used more for storage and is unfinished. The basement usually provides those moist and dark conditions that rats seek, which are beneficial because of their nocturnal habits. Some species of rats are known to utilize sewer systems, so it's not uncommon for them to live inside of drainage areas that they come out of when it's time to find food.

But these pests aren't only relegated to the interior of homes, they actually do very well outside. Living in a yard offers rats access to outdoor garbage containers, leaky downspouts, piles of brush, and perhaps even access to the area beneath a deck, which can be ideal as well.

To learn more about rat prevention and control in Los Angeles County, contact HomeShield Pest Control today.

Is It Possible To Have A Rat-Free Home Without Killing Them?

Rats may be one of the more hazardous pests for Los Angeles County homeowners, but that doesn't mean that they necessarily need to be killed in order to eliminate their presence and create a safe living environment. The most reliable way to keep rats from homes is through the process of exclusion. This method is also commonly referred to as sealing up entry points. It's also environmentally conscious, safe for everyone in the household, and is designed to provide long-lasting protection from rats. Exclusion does not kill rats, but rather, it addresses all of the many ways that they can invade a home. It incorporates materials such as wire mesh, steel wool, professionally applied caulk, and setting one-way doors. By focusing efforts on the outside of a home, pest control companies are able to limit a person's exposure to product applications, design a season-proof plan, and stop rats from entering the home altogether, thus minimizing further damage. Exclusion also takes away the factors that lure rats, which means getting to the root cause. If necessary, we will use other rodent control methods to get rid of rats in conjunction with our exclusion services.

At HomeShield Pest Control, exclusion is our method of choice because of its low-impact approach while also yielding the most reliable results. We implement exclusionary services because we know that they will create lasting relief from one season to the next, and they are also easy for our skilled technicians to monitor. It's very easy for us to see the direct benefits of our work. We even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our rat control services because that's how important eliminating rats is to us and because we also know that this is the most impactful tool we can use.

For more information on Los Angeles County rodent control, contact us today.

Five Ways To Deter Rats

Rats in Los Angeles County are sneaky pests that enter homes in any way they can but preventing an infestation is worth it at all costs because of how quickly they reproduce and the issues that they will eventually cause.

Here are five foolproof ways to deter rats today:

1. Take care of the yard. Unlike mice, rats are very athletic and are capable of climbing with ease. That said, they will also take advantage of any overhanging trees or shrubs that may come into contact with a home as a bridge to enter it. This is why it's so important to scale back all greenery from the home and also keep a tidy yard that is unappealing to them altogether. While the yard is being cared for, also consider how trash gets stored. Is it in a locked bin that doesn't touch the house? It should be! 
2. Remove clutter. These pests thrive in spots that are messy, which means that eliminating all clutter is imperative. 
3. Look for moisture issues. Rats prefer damp and dank conditions, which certain parts of the house readily provide. Use dehumidifiers in closets and basements, make sure that crawl spaces are always well ventilated, and take leaks seriously. 
4. Store food properly. One of the things that rats need more than anything is access to food, and they don't care if that comes in scraps or belongs to dogs. For homeowners with pets, never store kibble in its original packaging and always keep snacks and pantry items in sealed containers. 
5. Seal up points of entry. If rats detect even the slightest sense of water, food, or promising conditions, they will do everything in their power to enter a home. They are also rather nimble and capable of fitting through dime-sized openings, so almost every crack or gap is fair game. Insert door sweeps if there are spaces beneath doors, use silicone-based caulk, liquid foam, or steel wool to address foundational flaws, and apply weatherstripping to loose windows. 

The addition of professional rat control can also help homeowners achieve a level of protection from these pesky rodents that is otherwise unattainable. For more information on the most reliable rat control around, contact HomeShield Pest Control today. 

Total Rat Control For Los Angeles County Residents

With rats' ability to spread hazardous pathogens that lead to leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever, as well as cause property damage, there is only one answer for total rat control. Professional rodent control will allow Los Angeles County residents the ability to live their lives without the constant threat of being invaded by a family of rats. These types of services address the root cause and put effective measures into place in order to ensure that there is constant protection from future issues.

At HomeShield Pest Control, we have been providing local residents exceptional rat control since our inception in 2009. Over the years, we've remained true to our roots and always offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our rat-related offerings. This works to give our customers true peace of mind so that they can go about living their lives. Our service begins with a highly-detailed inspection of the entire property. During this phase, we assess everything from backyards and kitchens to crawl spaces and attics. We follow such stringent procedures because we understand how crafty rats can be and the multitude of ways that they can gain access to a property. We also know that it's very easy for rats to take up shelter in a home without the residents knowing. Once we've been able to assess a property and properly identify that rats are the issue, and not, say, squirrels or mice, we move into the exclusion process. After we've successfully sealed up all entry points around the home, we offer an optional cleanup service, which we highly recommend, especially if we've found signs of rats in the attic. This means that we'll eliminate any fecal matter that we find and provide full decontamination, which is not only helpful in building a safe home but it also works to prevent future issues. Lastly, we will closely monitor the results of our treatments, either by setting up routine services for rats or by enlisting in our residential pest control program.

For more information on our residential and commercial pest control services in Los Angeles County, contact us today.