Why Homeowners Should Worry About Rat Infestations

Any pest multiplying in your home is a cause for alarm, but rats are some of the last pests that you ever want to find sharing your living spaces. Unfortunately, rats are quite persistent in their desire to invade our houses, seeking to take advantage of the warmth and shelter they offer, while foraging on our food and water. While rats found in North Carolina can grow up to 18 inches long from nose to tail tip, they can still squeeze through an opening the size of a quarter to invade your home. Read on to learn why a rat infestation warrants immediate attention and what can happen if rats proliferate in your Raleigh home.

The Dangers of Household Rat Infestations in Raleigh

One reason you should worry about rats in your Raleigh home is that these rodents can be incredibly destructive. All rats have a large pair of upper and lower teeth known as incisors that grow continually, forcing rats to gnaw on hard objects regularly to grind these teeth down. Out in nature, rats will usually wear down their teeth by gnawing on wood or stone but in your home, they'll gnaw on electrical wiring, wooden baseboards, drywall, plastic pipes, aluminum siding, and just about everything else. Rats' teeth are very strong so if they gnaw persistently, it won't be long before they cause severe damage.

A particular danger of rats' gnawing is their tendency to chew on live wires. This creates a serious risk because exposed wires always pose the risk of starting a house fire. In fact, it is believed that a substantial percentage of unexplained house fires in North Carolina are actually caused by rodents gnawing through wires. Beyond this peril, a rat gnawing through wires could cause a power outage in your home or the rat might electrocute itself and decay in your walls, creating a horrible stench.

Gnawing isn't the only damage that a rat infestation can cause. Rats will also rip up materials like insulation, fabric, paper, and cardboard in order to construct their nests. If enough rats invade your home in Raleigh, they can cause widespread damage to insulation in your attic and walls, requiring costly material replacements. Additionally, rats can stain baseboards and walls with their oily fur. When rats frequently rub up against a surface, they leave behind unsightly "smudge marks" that will darken over time.

The other major reason that you should be worried about a rat infestation in your Raleigh home is that these rodents can spread several dangerous diseases when they live under your roof. Rats often raid kitchens by night and their activity can spread harmful bacteria across kitchen surfaces or directly contaminate your food supply. Eating food or using kitchen utensils that have been contaminated by rats could result in salmonellosis, which causes severe nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and feverish symptoms. Coming into contact with rat droppings can also result in transmission of the salmonella bacteria.

Another rat-carried disease that is transmissible to humans is leptospirosis. This bacterial disease is spread through the urine of infected rats and can be contracted by attempting to clean up rodent urine, eating food contaminated by rodent urine or otherwise coming into contact with it. Symptoms of leptospirosis include a fever, headaches and muscle pains, and gastrointestinal distress. As long as it's caught early on, leptospirosis can reliably be treated with antibiotics like penicillin. However, severe untreated cases of leptospirosis can be life-threatening.

How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Raleigh Home

When you discover a rat infestation in your home, your next move should be to call a local rodent exterminator. By working with a trusted professional rat removal company, you can get rid of the rats living in your home and implement preventive measures to keep more of them from invading. Give Sustainable Pest Systems a call today for the best rat control services in the greater Raleigh area!