Wednesday, 24 August 2022
How much does a rat exterminator cost?
Rats are unpleasant visitors. They leave scratch marks around the house, often in conjunction with a strong ammonia smell, droppings, and footprints. They can harm your home's insulation, flooring, ceiling joists, and more if they enter your property. They can also chew on paper and plastic in the house and frequently carry pathogens that lead to diseases such as Weil's sickness, rat bite fever, and salmonellosis.
Rats can also contaminate food that you leave lying around. Therefore, it's imperative that you have them exterminated right away. In this article, we explain what attracts rats inside homes, how to deal with a rat infestation and factors that affect rat extermination prices.
What attracts rats to your house?
Food and shelter are the two key factors that draw mice and rats to your home. Rodents are drawn to food waste on the floor or other surfaces. Furthermore, during the winter, they seek refuge and a warm location to raise their babies.
A warm house with lots of hiding spots is ideal, and an untidy house is even better. Any small hole on the outside can act as a rodent gateway to your home, because mice and rats can fit through gaps as small as 2 cm in diameter.
Will rats go away on their own?
Rat infestations shouldn't be ignored because they won't go away on their own and are likely to get worse. What’s more, rats may seriously disrupt homes and businesses and be a significant annoyance. Pest management on a property is the duty of the owner or occupant.
Diseases caused by rats
There are two ways in which diseases spread by rats might infect humans: through direct exposure to rat excrement, urine, or bites, or indirectly through an intermediary arthropod vector like fleas, ticks, or mites.
Over 35 diseases that can affect both people and pets are known to be transferred by rats and mice around the world, including:
- Plague
- Salmonellosis
- Leptospirosis
- Tularemia
These conditions can be spread by:
- Direct encounters like rat bites
- Infected dead rats that are handled and disposed of improperly
- Eating or drinking tainted food or water
- Contact with rat feces
- Saliva
- Breathing in dust that has been polluted by rat-infected feces and urine
- Ticks, fleas, and mites that reside on infected rats
Rats can also degrade building structures by:
- Tearing through sheets of lead and aluminum
- Gnawing into electrical wiring, which can short out appliances or lighting fixtures and cause fires
How to deal with a rat infestation
Rat traps are the most popular DIY rat removal option available. However, rat populations are typically larger than you would anticipate, particularly if you observe them during the day. Additionally, when they have access to food and water, they multiply rapidly. The easiest way to get rid of rats if you have an infestation is to call a local pest control expert.
With moderate-to-large infestations, simply placing a lot of rat traps won’t do. The traps won't get rid of a rat infestation on their own. Rat exterminators can take care of the issue effectively and prevent future rat infestations. They have the expertise, equipment, and certification needed to deal with rats.
The 6 best baits for mice traps and stations
How long does it take to get rid of rats?
Rat poison often needs to be administered for anywhere between three days and one week to completely eradicate rats. Rats may be leery of mechanical traps, as a result of which it may take a few days to trap them. Depending on the extent of the infestation, a pest control company can get rid of rats in as little as one or two days.
Find a rat exterminator near me
Average rat extermination cost
The average cost for rat extermination can vary. Rats are often removed through a combination of bait boxes, traps, and rodenticide. Typically, this three-pronged strategy is spread out over two site visits:
- The exterminator inspects the location and sets up the traps or bait stations during the initial visit.
- During the second visit, the traps are cleared and the rats are removed.
Typically, rat removal costs about $120 to $240, the average quote being $180. A qualified rat control expert usually has an astonishingly high success rate, and many professionals provide a free initial consultation and follow-up visits.
How much does an exterminator cost in Quebec?
Factors that affect rat extermination pricing
Number of entry points
Rats can fit through holes as small as a quarter. A rat exterminator will search for these entry openings and seal them up. Rats can also get into your home through pipes or drain pipelines, and even appear in the bathroom. Access points include cracks in the doors and windows as well as any form of air vent.
The washer/dryer air vents, the fascia on the roof, and the point where the eaves meet the roof are all known entry points. The cost of rat extermination varies depending on how many points of entry are discovered.
Quantity of traps
The location of the traps is essential for catching the rats. You might not need a lot of traps for a minor infestation but you will need a lot for a severe infestation. The number of traps that are needed affect the cost of rat extermination services.
Extent of clean-up work
After a rat invasion, there may be a substantial amount of clean-up work needed. Cleaning up after rat damage calls for the use of specialized chemicals, and you may need to spritz the area with a particular cleaner. The amount of clean-up work required can have a huge impact on the final rat extermination cost.
When should you call a rat exterminator?
You should call a rat exterminator if you see a rat or any other indication of an infestation in your home or place of business. Waiting too long can give these troublesome creatures time to cause harm and breed, neither of which are desirable.
Tips to help you avoid future rat infestations
- Use steel wool and caulk to repair holes and cracks in your home's walls, roof, attic, basement, and foundation
- Food sources, including pet food, should be kept in durable containers with tight-fitting lids
- Cover air vents with screens
- Trim plants, trees, and other vegetation on outside walls
- Get rid of standing water inside and outside your property
- Remove any rubbish or leaf heaps that could serve as nesting places in your yard
- Close trash bins
What is pest management and how does it work?
Rat control services
VExtermination’s network is composed of certified exterminators who are experts in pest and rodent management. Thanks to our continuing training program, our team is always up-to-date on the latest developments in the field. We understand the negative impact that a pest or rodent infestation can have on your health and peace of mind. This is why we offer different extermination packages that ensure that your home is rodent- and pest-free.