Environmental action tips: avoid rodent damage in your home

At their worst, rats can cause great damage, as they can gnaw their way through almost any material. For example, electrical wires, water and sewer pipes, garbage cans, composters, or house structures can be targeted.

How do you notice the appearance of rats?

Rats leave behind many kinds of marks.

Holes and passages may appear in the yard, compost, or in the structures of the house. Unlike a mole burrow, a rat burrow does not have a mound of soil on top. Rat burrows are also larger in size.

Rat excrement is a sure sign of the presence of rats.

How can you prevent rats from nesting?

At least the following things should be taken into account:

•Remove rats from access to food sources. Do not put apples or other organic waste in the garden waste. Empty the garden compost regularly.

•If possible, feed birds only with suet balls and keep feeding areas clean.

•Do not put food or food scraps down the drain. Food in drains attracts rats, and rats can enter the house through the toilet or floor drain.

•Check wood piles, etc. and move them away from the immediate vicinity of the house.

•Check the waste containers: the bottom plug is the weak point of the waste container.

•Check the bottom of the composter. Rats can easily eat the bottom of a composter if it is placed on the ground. It is best to place the composter on a solid surface, such as a concrete slab. The composter should be pest-proof, meaning there should be a rodent net on the bottom. Not all models available in stores will keep rats away.

•Tamp and cover with rodent net all holes and gaps through which rats could enter the building.

•Remove all edible feed and seeds from outdoor storage.

•If neighbors are nearby, work with them to eradicate and prevent the rat problem.

What should you do if you see rats on your property?

Individuals cannot purchase rat poison themselves. Therefore, to get rid of rats, you must contact a pest control company. It is best to contact them immediately after the first rat sighting.

There are also non-toxic means of control.

For more information:

Environmental Engineer Sirpa Heinänen, tel. 020 617 4391, sirpa.heinanenimatra.fi (sirpa[dot]heinanen[at]imatra[dot]fi)