If You Have Rats In Your Pipes In Arlington TN, Then This Article Is For You!
There’s nothing worse than hearing a little squeaking noise coming from your water pipes! Pipes can and will creak from time to time, but if this noise is consistent you may want to check your pipes. Its very possible that you may have a little wet visitor swimming its way through your house!
Diseases And Bacteria Associated With Rats
Sharing your water with a disgusting rat would give anyone the creeps, not to mention a whole host of diseases. Rats have been responsible for spreading disease and plagues for hundreds of years. One plague in particular called The Black Death killed over 25 million people around Europe between 1347 and 1351. Historians have speculated that the fleas on rats at this time were responsible for spreading this plague. Rats carry many other deadly diseases, and their feces can spread bacteria that can make you and your family very, very sick.
When Do You Hear Noises? What Do They Sound Like?
So, about these sounds you keep hearing. Does it sound like something running around or scratching? Do you hear these sounds in the daytime or at night? If you hear the noises early in the morning or late at night, you more than likely have a rat crawling around. Rats are nocturnal so you will most likely hear them during the night or early morning. To learn more about how rodents can access your pipes, click here.
Rats understand where they are on the food chain. They definitely do not want your attention, so they will try to hide when humans are about. They can sometimes be difficult to find, but when they are most active, try to locate where the sounds are coming from. You should look for any feces (a dead giveaway), chew marks or cracked pipes, which leads us to the question below…
Are Rats Chewing Through Your Pipes?
Pipes can burst for many reasons. Usually it is from a leak or corrosion. However, rats can chew through almost any material, including PVC pipes. Most people don’t realize just how powerful a rat’s bite is. Did you know that the strength of a rat’s bite can be up to TWELVE TONS PER SQUARE INCH? A great white shark bite is only 1.8 to 2 tons per square inch. Just another reason to keep rats out of your house!
Back to your pipes. A damaged pipe will create a slow or fast leak depending on how much it has been chewed. Now you may think a slow leak may seem better, but in reality a slow leak may do even more damage than a burst pipe. Slow leaks often go unnoticed for quite some time if it is in the right place. This means you have constant moisture in an area providing the perfect climate for mold to thrive!
Once a leak becomes visible, it has most likely already spread through a larger area. This can create rotten wood among other things. Having a fast leak or pipe burst is terrible, but at least you will notice it right away. You may need new flooring or sheet rock, but at least you will see the damage immediately. Either way, both are very costly and can impact a family in many ways.
Can Rats Really Swim Underwater?
Yes! Rats are excellent swimmers! And certain types of rats are actually made for water! These rats are called Norway Rats. Their bodies are made for treading water for long periods. A Norway Rat can hold its breath for up to three minutes. These rats will paddle their feet and tread water with ease, using their long tails as a rudder. Norway Rats thrive in water and mostly travel through the sewer systems into our homes and water pipes. It can be difficult at times to identify where these rats are coming from. It is always best to call a professional at the first signs of rats or mice in your pipes or under your home.
But Maybe I Only Have One Rat?
Having only one rat in your home is like having only one potato chip. It’s possible but not very realistic. The reason is because just one male and one female can produce up to 1,500 babies in a single year! A female rat can have several litters of baby rats every month. Those babies can mature in a month to start mating and produce their own litters. So you can see how just a few rats can multiply into great numbers in a very short amount of time. (Don’t you wish potato chips did that?)
If you think you may have rats, act quickly. Don’t wait for rats to overrun your home before you call a professional. Cracked or clogged pipes, health concerns, fecal droppings and urine contamination, mold, rotten wood and structural damage are just the beginning of what you can expect to happen when rats begin to multiply.
We Can Help With The Rats In Your Pipes In Arlington TN
Apex Wildlife Control has highly trained wildlife technicians who are skilled at inspecting homes for rats and other wildlife. We will not only locate all the problems, but give you solutions for your wildlife problems. Our technicians will inspect your home, taking pictures of all the damages and locating all the possible and actual entry points. They will then provide you with a quote for trapping and sealing your home.
Our company believes that knowledge is power. We want you to feel that you have the power back in your hands when it comes to your home.
At Apex Wildlife Control, we believe in our exclusion process and our technicians so much that we offer a one-year warranty on all our full exclusion services, as well as a DOUBLE MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE! For more information, fill out the Contact Us form, or call us at 901-598-8555 and our friendly office staff will be happy to answer your questions.
Thank you for reading this article, and we hope you have a great day!
