DC County, Washington DC Rat Control Situation:
I am a double heart transplant/cancer patient and not in good health. I have discovered a huge hole on the outside of my home, which is allowing critters in my attic. I do not know what they are, but possibly roof rats. Their presence could very well kill me, since I have no immune system to help me fight bacteria. I would like to know the cost of removal & repair of the area which they have ruined on the side of my home. I am a senior citizen who can no longer work and have little disposable income to pay much, since my medical bills are so high. Is it possible to get an estimate for this & also a time frame from when it can be done? I spend a lot of time in the hospital and just finished a 3 month stay, which included another cancer surgery. I live in Washington DC. My phone does not ring in properly, in fact, gets poor reception, same as my Internet service, but they blame it on my area. So please use my email when possible. I would appreciate a reply ASAP. Thank you very much. J Hill
My response: The presence of rats won't kill you.
Washington DC Rat Control Tip of The Week
What To Do If There Is A Nest Of Rats In Your Attic
Being a commensal rodent, rats live and thrive very well in human settlements. When you have them in your home, these pests will most likely harbor in your attic and make it their nesting place. If you have rats nesting in your attic, the first sign you will notice is scratching and scurrying sound in the ceiling of your home at night.
Having confirmed that there are rats nesting in your attic, you might be thinking of what to do and the best way to handle the situation. Right here, we will be sharing all you need to know about what to do when you have rats nesting in your attic.
1. Attic Inspection
After noticing some unusual sounds in your attic, the first thing you need to do is to inspect your home to confirm if there are rats nesting in your attic or not. While inspecting your home, you need to also determine how the rats got into your attic and where they are nesting.
2. Repair The Rat Entry Holes
If you are lucky enough to find their entry holes, you need to seal them before doing any other thing. Sealing them off prevents other rats from entering your attic after you have removed all the rats already nesting there.
3. Remove The Rats
After the sealing and the repair job, the next thing for you to do is to remove the rats. To do this, all you have to do is set as many snap traps as possible in different locations in your attic. To increase your chances of trapping more rats, you need to bait the snap trap with baits like peanut butter or any other dry nut. This will help attract the rats to the traps.
4. Clean The Attic
Finally, you need to clean up your attic with a strong disinfectant, to ensure that you are safe from bacteria and other pathogens deposited by the rats.