When there is noise coming from the loft space, especially at night times it is normally one of two things – rats or squirrels. Mice are not big enough to make any real disturbance and after having them in mine own loft they would have gone undetected if I had not gone up there to find their droppings everywhere.
The first thing to do is to find out who the culprit is. After this the second most important step is how did our unwanted guests find their way in. A careful check of the whole outside of the property is essential from the floor right up to the roof. At ground level, broken air vents or holes in the wall and damaged pipes can all be places of entry. If the ground level is sound then areas like facia boards and soffits need looking at. The gap between the top of the facia and bottom of the tiles can be a likely spot. Rats are great climbers and can make their way up pipe work into the gutter and then through these gaps.
Future-Proofing Your Home
Dealing with the rats is one thing, but proofing the house is just as important otherwise the problem can soon return. Inside the house itself areas behind washing machines and dish washers need looking at. A hole in the wall around pipes can give all the space a rat would need to gain entry. A hole no bigger than 10 mm can be big enough for a juvenile rat to get in. Methods of control range from trapping to poison, the latter being the most cost effective as traps by law need checking daily. This increases the cost to our clients but whatever method our clients decide, we can help.
