We’ve chased rats out of the smallest homes on the east side of the city. And we’ve chased them from the mansions of the elite River Oaks neighborhoods.
Rats don’t discriminate. Rich, poor, it’s all alike to them.
And a certain quirk of the Houston home building industry all but guarantees rats will enter houses across the city.
What Houston building code loophole makes rats more prevalent in city homes?
Most Houston homes have a roof overhang. Beneath that overhang, you’ll often find a gap between the soffit in the roof. It’s usually about ¾” of an inch wide, more than large enough for a rat to wriggle through. Rats can wriggle through openings the size of a quarter, so ¾” is no problem for them at all.
Houston building codes allow it because water can’t get into the attic through these openings. Builders exploit the code oversight because it saves them on lumber cost. If a house has 10-12 eaves and they save ½ a foot of lumber on each, those savings can add up!
Our exclusion methods specifically address this gap with a mortar and resin mixture that can be colored to match your home. Rats can’t chew through it or squeeze around it, which means they can’t get back into your attic once we remove them. If you change the roof you’ll have to re-fill the gap, but otherwise, it’s both effective and long-lasting.
What is the number one thing Houston homeowners can do to prevent rats?
Skip the bird feeders.
We know. Bird feeders are lovely. But if you’re feeding the nice animals, you’re also feeding the not-so-nice animals.
Worse, most people put their feeders out in the fall, the very point in the year when rat infestations are most common.
In fact, if you have a bird feeder in your yard we’d venture to say it doesn’t matter how well you clean your kitchen, whether you keep pet food out of your yard, or how nice your house is. Eventually, rodents will check out your home and decide to work their way inside.
Let the birds feed naturally, and migrate as they’re meant to. They’ll be back in the spring.
What happens once rats enter Houston homes?
Rats begin to act like any other animal once they enter your home, which means they pee and poo everywhere. Your house will start to take on a distinctive smell.
Worse, they begin chewing on your insulation and wiring. One makes your home less energy-efficient and the other turns your home into a fire hazard.
But that’s not all. Because they attract other wildlife as well. We’ve seen raccoons find their way into the attic shortly after rats do, because raccoons feed on rats. When raccoons hunt, it will sound like a football game erupted in your attic as they try to chase the rats down.
Snakes are quieter, but they’re just as disturbing and destructive. Rats and mice are their favorite food.
Rats don’t end their campaign of destruction at your home, either. They can sense electricity. They know that the outside of the wiring tastes really good thanks to sweet soy insulation. They’ve been known to eat the wiring in cars as well. Now you’re facing thousands of dollars of car repair on top of thousands of dollars in home repair. Even brand new cars are not immune.
If you think you have rats, the problem will not go away, and you should call us for an inspection as quickly as possible.
How can I get help with my rat problem in Houston, TX?
Elite Wildlife Services has been helping Houstonians with rodent control for over 10 years. We offer free inspections. We also continuously update our processes to make sure that we’re bringing state-of-the-art rodent control methods to bear.
Rats are smart and adaptable, so we adapt with them.
Ready to get started? Contact EWS today!