Rat Proofing Your Home: Where Rats Get In

A rat does not need a door left open. A gap about the size of a large coin can be enough, and rats will gnaw to widen anything they can get their teeth into.

Walk your property in the order below, working from the ground up, and you will usually spot the weak points. The aim is a systematic check, not a panic repair job.

Ground level: drains, air bricks and foundations

Start outside at ground level. Damaged or collapsed drains are among the most common routes, since rats can travel through pipework and surface in a gap, cracked inspection chamber or broken pipe. If you see rats near manholes or smell drains persistently, a drain inspection may be needed.

Air bricks provide ventilation and should stay open, but covers should be intact and undamaged. Check the foundation line for burrows, loose soil or holes beside the wall.

Services and pipes

Every pipe, cable and duct that passes through a wall is a possible gap. Look at where gas, water, waste, satellite and electrical lines enter the house, and in kitchens and bathrooms where waste pipes pass through units or floors.

Gaps are often left around boxing in or beneath sinks. A torch and a quick look behind the cupboard can reveal light, draughts or gnawed edges, which all suggest a way through.

• Gaps around waste pipes under sinks and baths
• Holes where cables or aerial lines enter
• Cracks in render or brickwork near ground level
• Gaps beneath airing cupboards and utility room floors

Doors, garages and outbuildings

Rats exploit any door that does not fit. Worn thresholds, gaps under garage doors and old shed doors with chewed corners are classic entry points. Doors left open during the day for pets or deliveries can also let one in.

Sheds, summer houses and garages next to the house often become a base. Check the floors and bases, and be careful about piles of stored items that give rats cover.

Roofs, eaves and extensions

Rats are good climbers and can use trellis, pipework and thick climbing plants to reach roof level. Check eaves, fascia boards, soffits and the junction where an extension joins the original building. Loose tiles and gaps beside roof vents can give access to the loft.

If you hear noises in the loft, be careful about assuming the cause is outside. Entry can happen at height as well as at ground level.

Proofing in the right order

Timing matters. Sealing holes while rats are still inside can trap them in the structure and lead to new damage or smells. Proofing is most effective once an inspection has found the extent of activity and the problem has been dealt with.

Materials matter too, as rats chew through foam, soft plastics and thin timber. Hard-wearing, rodent-resistant materials are more suitable. Essex Pest Solutions can carry out an inspection to identify likely entry points and advise on proofing for your property.

Frequently asked questions