WHY AUTUMN CAN BRING RATS CLOSER TO YOUR HOME

As the weather starts to turn colder, rats begin looking harder for food and shelter that is protected from the elements. Autumn and winter are a time when rats can become more noticeable around homes and buildings.

The change in the seasons doesn't mean you're suddenly more likely to find a rat in your home. Rats are active throughout the year. But colder and wetter weather can encourage them to look for more sheltered places to live with better food availability.

Why do rats come closer to homes in autumn?

Rats are extremely adaptable animals. They can live in a wide variety of environments, including underground burrows, gardens, buildings and sewer systems.

As temperatures fall and outdoor resources become less readily available, buildings can become attractive places to investigate; warm, sheltered spaces with easy access to food and water provide exactly the sort of environment rats are looking for.

Rats use drainage systems as part of their network of routes. This is one reason why keeping potential entry points into your property protected is important, particularly as the colder months approach.

What signs should you look out for?

You don't necessarily need to see a rat to know that one may be nearby.

Some signs of rat activity include:

• Rat droppings, particularly in sheltered areas

• Gnaw marks on food packaging, wood, cables or other materials

• Scratching, gnawing or scuttling noises

• Greasy marks where rats repeatedly travel along walls or other surfaces

• Burrows or signs of activity around sheds, decking, compost areas or other sheltered places

• An unusual ammonia-like smell, particularly in enclosed areas

How can you make your home less attractive to rats?

There are some simple steps you can take to reduce the things that attract rats.

Keep food waste securely contained, clean up spilled food and avoid leaving pet food outside. If you feed birds, take care not to leave large amounts of food on the ground. Keep gardens, sheds and other outdoor areas reasonably tidy and check your property for gaps or damaged areas that could provide access.

It's also worth checking drains, pipes and other potential routes into your property. Preventing access is much easier than dealing with an unwanted visitor once it has found its way inside.

Don't forget the toilet

Most people don't think of their toilet as a possible route into the home, but toilets are connected to the drainage system.

Rats are capable swimmers and are well adapted to sewer environments, so protecting the connection between your toilet and the drainage system is another part of protecting your home.

A one-way non-return valve such as MultiFlap allows wastewater to leave the toilet while helping to prevent unwanted creatures from travelling back through the waste pipe.

Prepare your home before winter

Autumn is a good time to look around your home and garden for anything that could attract or provide access to rats.

Secure food and waste, check for gaps and damage, keep outdoor areas tidy and consider whether your drainage system has adequate protection.

A few preventative measures now could help you avoid a much bigger problem later.

Want to protect your toilet from unwanted visitors? Find the right MultiFlap for your toilet >