Many people shudder at the thought of rats, whether they’re roof rats, common rats, or any other type of rat. If you have rats in your home, it’s important to handle the situation quickly to get rid of them as soon as possible. Luckily, there are several ways to handle a roof rat infestation. You can use methods like rat traps, rat baits and calling pest control professionals, depending on the extent of the infestation, to handle your rat problem.

If you’re considering hiring a pest control professional to handle your roof rat problem, check out our guide on the top pest control companies and read on for more information on how to prevent rats from entering your home.

What Are Roof Rats?

Roof rats, commonly known as black rats, are different than common Norway rats, also called brown rats, in size and appearance. Roof rats are typically brown or black. They have long, thin tails and are six to eight inches long excluding the tails. Norway rats have a grayish-brown coat and shorter, thicker tails.

These two types of rats have different nesting preferences, so they rarely cohabit. Roof rats can cause damage to your lawn and garden as well as your home.

Are Roof Rats Dangerous?

Roof rats can be a danger to your home and hard to control once the infestation becomes serious. From electrical wires, insulation, furniture, boxes, walls and more, there aren’t many things that roof rats won’t get into. Additionally, these rats can carry diseases, which can be dangerous if the rats get into any food stored within your home.

What Are Signs Of a Roof Rat Infestation?

Outside of seeing a rat with your own eyes, some common signs of roof rats in your home include smells, droppings, scratching or scampering sounds coming from your ceilings or walls and damage to your roof. The smell of urine can become extremely strong if there is a serious rodent infestation.

Some specific signs to look for include:

  • Chewed electrical wires or gnaw marks
  • Greasy marks along walls and rafters from the rats’ fur
  • Holes gnawed into boxes, furniture, or drywall
  • Shredded paper, fabric, or insulation for nesting materials
  • Small rat droppings around attics, walls, and floors
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Pay close attention to kitchen and bathroom cabinets, attics, wall voids, and other hidden spaces where rats may create nests and gain access to food sources. Listen for scratching or scurrying noises at night when the rats are most active.

How Do I Prevent Roof Rats?

There are a few ways to prevent rats from infesting your home

Some of the best preventive measures are:

  • Covering any openings (such as as vents and windows) with screens
  • Keeping food (including pet food) sealed with tight-fitting lids
  • Keeping your home clean and free of buildups of trash or food
  • Sealing any holes with caulk

Rats can crawl into extremely tight spaces and holes, so don’t underestimate any opening or hole within your home. If it’s there, chances are a rat can crawl through it.

I also suggest homeowners maintain their lawns and gardens, making sure there are no food sources, water sources and shelter for rats to use. Also, roof rats are excellent climbers, so trim any tree limbs and keep an eye on any power lines that may lead them onto your roof.

Be sure to handle any rat problems you see outside before they make their way inside. For more on lawn pest care, check out the products from one of our top brands below.

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How Do I Get Rid of Roof Rats?

If you’re wondering how to get rid of roof rats in your home, you can use rat traps or rat bait or hire professional rodent control experts to get rid of these pests. To learn more about dealing with roof rats successfully, read on below.

Rat traps are one way to get rid of rats on your own. While rat traps are a good do-it-yourself fix for rats, they can be difficult to set up. 

Some different types of rat traps include electric traps, glue traps, humane traps, metal traps, and snap traps.

Depending on your preference, you can use these traps to kill rats or to catch and release them. You can use these traps inside or outside your home. Be careful when setting up traps, and always read the instructions closely. They can be dangerous to children and pets, so keep a safe distance.

Some tips for effective trapping include:

  1. Place traps along walls and rafters where rat activity is noticed
  2. Use peanut butter, chocolate, or bacon to bait the traps
  3. Set traps in a grid pattern to cover more ground
  4. Check traps daily and reset them as needed

If the infestation is severe, traps may not be enough to stop it. Multiple rats may trigger traps without being caught, or they may steal bait without springing the trap.

Rat bait, or rat poison, is another common way to get rid of rodents in your home. There are many rat poison options, but they all act as a pesticide that kills rats once ingested. To use rat bait, you can install a physical rat bait station with the pesticide inside.

Keep in mind that the bait may not immediately attract the rats. It may take a day or two for the rats to approach and ingest any rat poison. You should also remove any other possible sources of food for the rats, as they may just ignore the rat poison to opt for a tastier treat.

Some tips for effective baiting include:

  1. Place bait blocks or soft bait packs in areas of high activity
  2. Check bait regularly and replace eaten bait immediately
  3. Use bait rotation to prevent bait shyness
  4. Follow all label safety precautions for indoor use

Once the rats eat the poison and die, you can remove them. Be aware that rats may crawl into hard-to-reach places after ingesting poison, making full cleanup difficult.

Professional Extermination

If your rat infestation is severe or you don’t want to deal with it yourself, you can always contact a professional exterminator or pest control company for rat removal. Rat exterminator costs vary widely, so make sure to request quotes before choosing the first one you talk with.

Professional rat exterminators have the knowledge and tools to fully eliminate infestations. They know how to pinpoint the sources, entryways, and locations of rats in your home. Once they determine these points, they’ll use humane or lethal methods (rodenticide) to remove all rats from the premises.

Benefits of hiring pros include:

Advice to rat-proof your home
Follow-up visits to ensure rats are gone
Full inspection to find all rat entry points
Strategic baiting and trapping techniques

With severe rat problems, the pros can target nests and stop the infestation at its source. Within one or two visits, your home will be free of rats.

Are There Any Natural Repellents For Roof Rats?

While natural repellants won’t kill rats, they can help keep them from entering your home. These natural methods aren’t always effective, but if you feel leery about keeping pesticides in your home, they can be a useful way to get rid of rats naturally.

Some natural repellants include peppermint oil, citronella oil and ammonia. To use these repellants, you can dilute them in water and pour them into a spray bottle to create a rat-repellant spray. You can also use mothballs, chili pepper flakes, garlic, clove oil, or tea tree oil to keep rats away, as these are scents that rats dislike.

So, Is Getting Rid of Roof Rats Difficult?

Roof rats can be difficult to get rid of, but with swift action, you can exterminate them and prevent future infestations. Focus on getting rid of food sources, standing water, and holes in your home to prevent rats from entering your house to begin with. I also suggest reading up on DIY pest control techniques to keep rats away without using traps or pesticides.

You can use traps and baits to kill roof rats, but when all else fails, calling a local pest control expert or exterminator is the best option. Get a quote from some of the best pest control services below and leave the dirty work to the professionals.

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FAQs About Roof Rats

How quickly can a rat infestation get out of control?

Rats are prolific breeders, with females birthing five to six litters per year at six to 12 pups per litter. Populations can boom exponentially in just a few months if you don’t exterminate rats quickly.


When are rats most active?

Roof rats are nocturnal and most active at night as they search for food and water. Peak activity is two to three hours after sunset.


What diseases can rats spread?

Rats commonly spread diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis, hantavirus and rat bite fever. They can also spread plague, typhus and food poisoning.


How long can a rat live?

On average, roof rats lives 12 to 18 months. Their lifespans vary due to environmental hazards, predators, food supply and human control efforts.


How much damage can a rat cause?

A single rat can contaminate up to 55 pounds of food per year with urine and droppings. Rats gnaw through wood, wiring, pipes, and more, causing fires and water leaks.


Editorial Contributors
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Sam Wasson

Staff Writer

Sam Wasson graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Film and Media Arts with an Emphasis in Entertainment Arts and Engineering. Sam brings over four years of content writing and media production experience to the Today’s Homeowner content team. He specializes in the pest control, landscaping, and moving categories. Sam aims to answer homeowners’ difficult questions by providing well-researched, accurate, transparent, and entertaining content to Today’s Homeowner readers.

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Mitchell Layton

Mitchell Layton is a former professional mover who currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mitchell spent years packing and moving for REAL Rock N Roll Movers, a commercial and residential moving company based in Los Angeles that’s primarily staffed with up-and-coming musicians. That gave him plenty of experience navigating box trucks up and down the winding streets of LA. In addition to moving hundreds of happy customers into new homes and apartments all across Southern California, Mitchell has also performed corporate moves on company lots for Nickelodeon, Warner Bros, Universal Studios, Paramount, and more. After pouring blood, sweat, and tears into his profession, Mitchell has all the helpful tips you need for your next move.

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