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Do rats enter a building through the plumbing?



Nothing would have made us happier than to tell you no. They cannot get into your home through your plumbing. Unfortunately, this is not the answer we are going to give you. Our answer is yes. Some rat can and will swim their way up your drainage systems, toilets and any other pipes into your house.

How can they swim through the water and dirt?
Heard the name sewer rats? Well this is where the brown rat species got their name from. And they will swim up or down into your house because;

• They are little amazing swimming wonders that can swim even on slow current rivers or lakes.
• They are super-fast. Therefore the exercise will not take them too long to allow them to drown.
• They are smart. And will ever so often in their swim up to your toilet look for places to take a breath or two before continuing the odious journey.

Are all rats that are good swimmers?
No. While the brown rats are good swimmers, black rats are not. And generally prefer looking for dry routes into your home rather than risking drowning. However;

• All rats will comfortably walk through dry pipes and into your house.
• They can access your house from rooftops by use the dry drainage pipes on the roofs.

So how does someone rat proof a house if the rats use drainage systems?
Modern day homes are build using drainage systems that have been rat proofed by use of valves that allow for movement out and automatically will not allow anything back in. They will help because;

• Although rats are great nibblers, they cannot swim and chew at the valves at the same time. This in essence ensures they stay out. You can also modify your home by adding tough steel meshes over drainage pipes that may allow the rats to get into the house. For instance
• Roof top drainage pipes
• Rain gutters
• Air vents into the house.
• Even toilets that have not been fitted with the self-closing valves.

Why go through so much trouble?
• Because rodents can be carriers of disease and rats are no exception
• You really do not want a little animal that has been swimming in the toilet walking all over your food hence contaminating it.
• Rodents are food to some other animals on the food chain, once they show up; the predator may come looking soon.

RAT CONTROL: We specialize in rat control projects. Call us now for rat control in your city or town.
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