For instance, if you’ve heard scratching or rustling sounds inside your walls at night or discovered gnawed marks near your baseboards, you’re likely left questioning: how do rats get in walls? The solution is not as inexplicable as you might think, and if you know their sneaky secrets, you can keep them from coming back. Rats are brutally stalwart and tenacious, and that is why they seem to excel at infiltrating our homes.
In this post, we detail exactly how rats get in walls, the risks these intelligent, agile, and disease-ladened vermin pose, and what you can do to prevent them from getting in altogether.
Interpreting the Rat’s Behavior
Rats are opportunistic animals. They are always looking for food, water, and shelter. Since these are places that provide them with all the resources they need to live, they usually don’t roam far from human settings. And what’s more convenient for them than gaining access to the walls where they can build their nests, reproduce, and scrounge for food?
Rats are resilient little monsters—think of them as savvy survivors. They are honed masters when it comes to getting through narrow cleavages and finding cryptic openings. This is enough to make rodents “seem as though they’re coming out of nowhere,” says Lisa M. Roberts, a rodent biology expert at Fordham University. “You get rats getting in walls, and people think, ‘How can rats get in walls without you seeing them come in?’ And the answer is: Rats and mice are like water.
Common Entry Points for Rats
Rats are excellent climbers, and their little bodies can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps. Here’s where they typically break into your walls:
Cracks in the Foundation
Rats will fit into tight corners of any foundation, however small. Over the course of time, these cracks could grow larger just from the soil moving and weather, and voila, rats can have an open door to your home.
Ventilation Gaps
Rats are naturally attracted to entry points in or around the edges of ventilation ducts or vents. They can use these channels to penetrate the walls stealthily. Once inside, they can spread to other areas of your home undisturbed.
Damaged Roofs or Attics
Your roof can be damaged, or if you have an attic with insulation that’s on the fritz, a rat can go up to the roof and find a way in. They are good at squeezing through holes and spaces that seem too small for any being to do so.
The Role of Gaps and Holes
Mice can squeeze through a hole as small as a dime; rats can as well, but prefer holes the size of a quarter. Which is to say, even very small gaps around windows, doors, or pipes can be all that rats need to squeeze through. It’s incredible how flexible their bodies are—if they can fit their head through an opening, the rest of the body will follow.
Look for holes around the exterior of your home, particularly around plumbing and electric lines, that might allow rats in through a tiny entrance that’s now invisible to the naked eye.
How Rats Can Find Their Way Up Your Toilet
You may think a rat can’t fit through it, but they are very flexible. Rats are able to squeeze into gaps as small as the thickness of a pencil. This is because they don’t have a rigid collarbone, so they can get through some pretty tight spaces.
By discovering the smallest crack or hole, rats can crawl into the walls. Here’s why it’s so crucial to seal even the smallest cracks and gaps in your home.
Wall Insulation, Rats and an Invitation to Come On In!
Wall insulation may add a layer of energy efficiency to your home, but it also offers rats a cozy nesting material. Rats are particularly fond of insulation because it provides them with warmth and protection. If there are any holes or cracks in your walls, the rats can still wiggle inside and make a nest in the insulation, where they can reproduce in peace.
This is why you might not hear the rats inside your walls all the time—they are living in the insulation, rather than around the perimeter of the room.
Rodent Pathways Inside Walls
Once rats make their way into your walls, they construct themselves a sort of grocery highway to shunt food from place to place around your house. Often rat droppings, urine stains, and chewed-up items will mark the way. At night, you may be able to hear rustling sounds as the rats maneuver through these secret passages, looking for food or water.
Rats will also scurry along these paths in order to chew on things like wires, insulation, and wood beams. If unchecked, this can lead to home damage, so it is important to locate and seal these entry points.
The Way Rats Use Pipes and Electrical Wiring
Rats can use pipes and electrical wiring in walls like elevated, subway-style byways. They make for convenient passes to various parts of your house as the rats can squeeze through gaps around pipes or follow electrical wiring between the walls.
Rats can even have the freedom to travel through the pipes or wiring that runs throughout the walls of your home, unnoticed in many cases. This is why you need to check your pipes and wiring for any signs of damage or gaps that rats could be using.
What Draws Rats to Walls Other Than the Wall Itself?
Rats don’t simply move into any old area—they are drawn to certain environmental conditions. If your home provides them with an easy source of food, water, or shelter, rats will get inside. Below are some reasons that rats may be lured to your walls:
Scraps of food or pet food: Leftover food in and around your home can attract rats, especially after dark when they are on the prowl for dinner.
Clutter and debris: Stacks of leaves, firewood, or trash near your home can provide rats with cover and an avenue straight to your walls.
Leaky pipes: Leaky pipes can offer rats a water source in the form of standing water or dampness from the leaks, additionally making your home desirable for them.
How to Know If You’ve Got Rats in Your Walls
You may not see the rats themselves, but you can observe indications of their presence. Here are some of the things to look for when determining if rats have taken up residence in your walls:
Night disturbances, such as rustling or scratching sounds—particularly when it’s quiet.
Marks from where they’ve chewed on your wood, plastic, or insulation in the walls.
Rodent droppings or urine marks around your house.
Rat urine and/or dead rats rotting in the walls, causing it to stink.
Chew marks on wires or tubing in the walls.
How to Keep Rats Out of Your Walls
Now that you understand how rats in walls get there, it’s time to start fending off your house. Here is what you can do to keep them out:
All gaps around windows, doors, and vents should be sealed shut.
Block off holes and gaps with steel mesh or hardware cloth that rats could use to enter.
Patch leaks and eliminate sources of standing water.
Prune trees and bushes that act as a bridge to your roof.
You can help keep your house clean by storing food scraps and avoiding clutter.
Seeking Professional Help: When to Contact a Pest Control Company
If you’ve seen the signs of rats in your walls, but can’t locate the source, then it may just be time to bring in the professionals. These professionals identify where the rats are coming into your house, set traps, and seal off those areas.
They are also able to safely take rats away and ensure they do not come back.
How to Seal and Block Off Entry Points
Closing up holes is one of the best things you can do to keep rats out of walls. Here’s how you can do it:
Carefully examine your property for small fissures, cracks, or holes.
Fill small gaps with steel wool or caulking.
Apply heavy-duty mesh to cover big gaps.
Regularly inspect for new gaps around pipes, vents, and windows.
Natural Rat Deterrents
If you would like to exclude rats naturally, there are scents and materials that rats find unpleasant. Some natural barriers are:
Peppermint oil: Rats find the potent smell of peppermint offensive, so your best bet is to buy a bunch of cotton balls, soak them in peppermint oil, and arrange them near any potential access points.
Cayenne pepper: Sprinkle some pepper where rats might get into your home.
Ammonia: The loud stench of ammonia is seldom favored by rats.
Conclusion: How To Prevent Rats in Your Home
Rats are relentless little creatures, but with a few tips, you can prevent them from sneaking into the walls of your home. By blocking access points, maintaining a tidy home, and tackling structural flaws, you can keep rats from making your walls into their new residence. And if all else fails, you can always call in the professionals at a pest control service.
FAQs
How do rats get into walls?
The narrow gap, crack, or hole around windows, doors, and pipes is how rats usually get into the walls.What attracts rats to walls?
Rats seek food, water, and shelter. Openings for pipes, clutter, and leaky pipes can make your property welcoming.How do I know if I have rats in my walls?
Look for clues including rustling, gnaw marks, droppings, and bad smells. These are all indications that rats could be living in your walls.Can rats chew through walls?
They can chew through wood, plastic, and drywall for access to walls.Do I need to hire a professional for a house with rats in the walls?
If you can’t locate entry points and aren’t able to seal them yourself, consider hiring a pest control professional for assistance.