Rats have lived near and with humans for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They are perfectly adapted to do this, to the point where they can survive in pretty much any environment that has human settlements. This is not a two way relationship. Rats are disease carriers and they are known to cause damage in the home. This relationship is also what allows rats to get through the winter.
When winter comes, rats face two existential threats – the weather and the lack of food supplies. This is why a home is so attractive to them as the temperatures start to drop. Indoors, they might be able to find ample food supplies, and they will definitely be sheltered from the environment. However, it’s not always possible for all rats to gain entry into a home, so as late summer rolls around, rats become very active, stockpiling food and nesting materials in their burrows. This ensures that they have something to eat as the food sources become scarce, and that they do not have to leave their burrows in the cold temperatures.
However, this is not ideal. Even if the rats manage to burrow in a safe location and stockpile some food supplies, they will still constantly attempt to gain entry into the home throughout the winter. At first they will look for cracks and gaps in the exterior walls, but as they get more desperate, they will start chewing through some of the weaker materials. They can chew through vinyl and certain other softer home building materials, but if they have to, they will attempt to chew through brick and cinder blocks.
This is why it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of an infestation in the winter. Check for rat droppings and gnaw marks on a regular basis, and if you see any of these signs, contact a pest control specialist as soon as possible. Getting rid of a rat infestation as soon as possible is essential because these rodents carry numerous diseases and they reproduce very fast. On top of that, they can also cause damage to the home. Rats need to chew constantly, and this leads them to chew on insulation and electrical wiring, which increases your utility bills and the risk of fire in the home. Contact us today if you suspect that you have a rat infestation and we will set up an appointment for an inspection right away.
