How to Handle a Rat Infestation that is Happening in Your Garage

Rats get into houses and garages to find food, shelter, and water. However, once inside your garage, these rodents can cause damage to the area and your possessions. Plus, they can easily access your living space through the garage. Whether you want to prevent a rat infestation from happening or eliminate an active infestation, Saela Pest can help address your concerns. 

What Brings Rats to Your Garage

Garages offer rats warmth, protection against predators, as well as access to sources of food and water. Also, these areas have items that rats can shelter in such as storage bins, old tires, cabinets, and cardboard boxes. if you have vehicles parked in the garage, they might offer another shelter source for rats. 

Finding rats in the garage is not surprising. Rats are always looking for shelter, particularly in colder weather. Plus, they can easily get into your garage through small openings like gaps and cracks beneath the garage doors and in walls. 

Is Having Rats in the Garage a Serious Issue?

The presence of rats in the garage is quite concerning. Spotting even just one rat can mean more of them are just hiding nearby. Rats tend to reproduce quickly or move from the garage into your house. Aside from the garage, your attic may also be a nesting site for rats as it offers them protection against the elements and access to other areas in your house.

Rats gnaw on objects and can damage walls, insulation, cloth, and floors. They can get into your car and chew holes in your car seats to build their nest. Also, they can nest inside electrical appliances or chew on electrical wiring, creating possible fire hazards. Another reason you should be worried about having rats in the garage is that these rodents can transmit diseases to people through direct contact with them or through their waste products. 

Signs of Rat Activity in the Garage

Rats may be present in your garage if you notice the following signs:

• Odors. Rat urine comes with a musky odor. Also, foul odors can come from decomposing dead rats. 
• Droppings. Rats leave droppings anywhere they go. These long and dark droppings are often found along walls because rats often use these as their routes when they move about. 
• Chewing marks. Rats can create small, round holes in cardboard boxes and walls as they try to access a food source, get inside your house, or collect nesting materials. 
• Sounds. A rat infestation can leave you hearing unusual noises in the garage, particularly at night. Rats are most active at night, making gnawing, squeaking, and scurrying sounds. 

How to Eliminate Rats from Your Garage

To eliminate rats from the garage, contact a pest control company. Rats can bite you once they feel threatened. Their droppings can spread serious diseases to people and animals when touched or inhaled. Pest control experts can determine where these rodents may be nesting or entering your garage. Based on the seriousness of your rat problem, these experts will determine the best course of treatment to address the infestation.