How to Remove Rats from Attic in (5 Steps)

Having rodents such as rats and mice in the attic can be a nightmare to any homeowner. Don't underestimate how much destruction they can cause.

They can shred the insulation, chew through the electrical wires, PVC pipes and tubing, ductwork, and perhaps spread some infectious diseases such as Salmonella and Hantavirus.

Identifying, trapping, or killing rodents in your attic might turn into an uphill task. But that shouldn't have to worry you as we’ve made it easy for you.

Ready to remove rats from your attic?  Follow our Five easy steps below.

Table of Contents

1. Know Exactly Who Your Enemies Are

Before you take the war to the critters in the attic, it’s critical to know the type of animals you’re fighting. This will help you to adopt the most effective methods of getting rid of them.
But then, how can you know that you’re taking your fight to rats and mice but not raccoons, bats, and squirrels?

Here is the trick that works based on the poo.

  • 1/8-inch long and pellet-shaped: Mouse
  • 1/4-inch long and sausage-shaped: Rats
  • 1/2-inch long pellets found in piles: Bats

With the above tips, you can put on protective gear, including a mask and get to examine the poo and have a rough idea of your enemy.

If your enemies are mice and rats, then know that things might turn ugly super-fast since they are highly prolific.

2. Seal The Exterior

Sealing-Exterior

After finding out that you have mouse and rat problem, the second most crucial step is sealing all the cracks and holes that might be the entry points.

Setting the traps without sealing the entry holes might not be useful as the mice and rats from outside will still get to your attic. Therefore, inspect the outside and seal all the possible entry points.
When carrying out an inspection, ensure you seal all the small holes and other points of penetration near and around the following:

  • Pipes
  • Gable vents
  • Network cables
  • Power line
  • Power meter
  • Gas line
  • Vent covers.

Use caulking material to seal small holes and mortar or cement for sealing large holes and other entry routes. If your gable vent is a possible route, seal it with a metal screen.

Once you're done with that, let's move onto the next step.

3. Clear The Shrubs Around The Home And Trim Trees

The bushy surrounding of your house not only hide rats and mice activities but also plays a critical role in getting rodents into your attic.

Ensure the area is free from debris and wood piles as they can offer shelter to the small buggers. If you must keep some trash, ensure they are sealed off the ground.

4. Install Traps Or Poison

Rat-Traps-1
Rat-Traps-3

After sealing all the entrances and clearing the surrounding, the next important step is to get rid of all those stubborn rats and mice. There are two effective ways to achieve that goal: traps or poison.

    1. Use of traps

Traps are the most commonly used method to eliminate rats. Below are types of rat traps that you can try out

      • Snap traps: Snap closes when a rat or mouse removes a trigger.
      • Live traps: Uses a bait and closes when a mouse or rat moves a trigger.
      • Electronic multi-kill trap: Shocks and kills the rodents using electricity.
      • Powered CO2 Multi-Kill Trap: Uses Carbon dioxide to kill rats and mice.
      • Glue boards: The rats and mice get stuck on a thick layer of adhesive when they step on it.
      • Bait blocks: It contains anti-coagulant, which triggers internal bleeding and death.

After choosing the trap that best suits your needs, place it lengthwise along your attic walls, ceiling drywall, storage platforms, storage joists, and in the corners.

    1. Poison

Using poison is another way of eliminating critter creatures from your attic. However, you should ensure the poison isn’t in a place accessible by pets and children.

5. Inspect Your Traps Daily

Keep checking and resetting your traps if necessary to kill most rats and mice. As such, you can eliminate all the mice and rats within a short period.

Also, you can put traps in your house’s interior to kill more rats and mice.
Sounds good? Well, it’s your turn to take action and keep your attic free from stubborn rodents.

Note: The above five steps provide the most natural way of eliminating rats and mice from the attic. In case you’re not ready to take it on your own, you can contact pest control experts.