Seeing signs of rats in your home is never a pleasant experience. Thanks to an abundance of food waste and rubbish, these rodents are a frequent sight in every major city, which means infestations in your home or business can be a common occurrence.
The nocturnal nature of these pests means that when you see a rat in your home; you are likely facing a major infestation. Despite being very common, these infestations are tough to remove and often a sign you require drain unblocking services
One of the easiest ways for rats to enter your property is via your drains, and seeing signs of needing your drains unblocked is often an indication that rodents could be making their way into your property.
Signs of a Rat Infestation
Seeing rats on the street and around your bins is a frequent sight in major cities, but there are certain signs to watch out for to see if an infestation has reached inside your property. Some of the most common symptoms of an infestation include:
Seeing Rodent Droppings
A very common sign of having a rat infestation is seeing droppings around the property. Fresh droppings are often moist and very dark in colour, while older droppings will typically become grey and crumble to the touch.
Droppings can be found anywhere, but most commonly, they will be around food sources in your kitchen or in dark places such as under your sink. Noticing a large number of droppings in a particular spot could be an indication of the main entry point or nest and means you might require drain unblocking Selby.
Gnaw Marks
Rats have large teeth and are typically known to love gnawing at materials, in particular wood. Fresh bite marks on your skirting boards, cupboards or wardrobes could be a sign of having a rat infestation. New marks are typically lighter in colour, and the larger the infestation, the more marks you will be noticing.
A Strange Odour
Needing your drains unblocked can create a foul smell throughout your property, and a rat infestation can add to this odour. Even if you do not notice the scent, you might notice your pets acting strangely and being focused on a particular point in the home.
Strange Tracks
Another major sign of having rats underfoot is noticing tracks around the property. Rats tend to run along similar paths inside and outside the home, which can result in smudge marks, footprints and urine stains.
If you suspect you might have an infestation, try leaving a thin layer of flour or baby powder in the suspected area. If you have a rat problem, you will likely see marks and trails in the area.
Identifying if you need your drains unblocked
Rats can enter your property in a number of ways, but if you have noticed the signs of an infestation, then it is often a good idea to contact drain unblocking services. A faulty or poorly installed drainage system or needing your drains unblocked can often be a common point of entry for rats.
Here at DMI Draincare & Groundworks, we know how unpleasant it can be to have a rat infestation on your property. That is why we have developed a three-stage approach to helping you to identify any issues and quickly resolve then. Cracked pipes, displaced or broken drains or defective capping can mean it is very easy for vermin such as rats to enter your home.
Our three-stage approach is as follows:
Conduct a thorough investigation – The first thing we will do is to undertake a thorough investigation of your drains. Our drain unblocking services will first ascertain if there has been any recent building works or issues or nearby that could have created a new access point for rodents. We will then complete a full investigation of your drains using our high-quality and industry-leading camera technology.There is a wide range of reasons for requiring drain unblocking in Selby, and there are many signs to look out for. This includes seeing water build-up, noticing strange smells or hearing strange gurgling noises coming from your drains.A damaged drain will see the waste build-up, which can act as a source of food for rats. Our CCTV drainage camera technology will closely examine your drains for signs of a blockage or damage, identifying any areas that could be acting as the gateway for rats to enter your property.
Treat the infestation – Our drain unblocking services team are also trained and qualified pest control technicians. This means that if we find signs of rats using your drains as an entry point to your property, we can begin to create a treatment plan to remove the infestation. This treatment will involve proactively baiting the drainage system to ensure that we can remove any rodents utilising the drains.Once we have identified the point of entry to the property, we will then heavily target that area, rectifying any issues you have. Needing drain unblocking Selby requires specialist technology. Your drains are often incredibly small spaces, but our advanced CCTV systems can work their way through the smallest of spaces. This ensures we will be able to examine the entire drainage system and will be able to identify every possible sign of rat infestation.
Treat the root cause – Once our team has been able to remove the infestation, we will then treat the root cause to ensure you do not face further issues with rats entering your property. By utilising the latest technology, our specialist drain unblocking services will ensure we can identify every possible entry point. With this information, we can ensure your drains are unblocked, and any repairs are carried out, preventing any access to your property and maximising the efficiency of your drains.