How to Avoid Roof Rats in Phoenix, Arizona

Effective Strategies for Preventing Roof Rat Infestations in Your Phoenix Home

Roof rats are a common problem for roofs in Phoenix, AZ. Roof rats are a kind of black rat that get their name because they are commonly found in high places like attics and trees. They are either dark brown or black, and they can be as long as 18 inches if you include their tail. They have slim bodies, large ears, and very short hair.

Roof rats can be a huge nuisance to your home, as they can burrow through insulation and chew through wires, pipes, and wood. They can also spread disease through their feces and their bites. Roof rats were responsible for spreading the Bubonic plague.

Before you have to call a roofing company for roof repair to deal with the damage caused by roof rats, you must develop a proactive defense plan against them.

You can also use these tips to get rid of your roof rats if you already have them:

Clear Debris around Your House

Roof rats like to live in trees, woodpiles, and debris like leaf litter and mulch piles. Clear out any woodpiles near your home, and pick up all leaf litter and piles of debris. Trim or prune bushes so that they are thin enough to let the sun shine through.

Most importantly, you should trim any thick trees near your home. Cut any branches that touch your home. Consider cutting down trees that grow very close or are very thick. It is especially important to keep palm trees trimmed since these are a popular nesting location for roof rats in Phoenix, AZ.

Pick Fruit Trees

Roof rats eat mostly vegetarian foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and bark. They are especially attracted to fruits that have high water content, such as citrus.

You must pick any fruit from trees growing near your home, even if it is not yet ripe.

Just donate or compost the fruit until your roof rat problem is under control. Once you no longer have a rat problem, you can be less vigilant with your fruit trees. Until then, don’t allow these trees to attract a
greater infestation.

Clear Your Yard of Other Food Sources

All rats are scavengers. Even if you clear out their typical food sources, roof rats may still thrive on other foodstuffs in your yard. These can include your trash, pet food or water you leave out overnight, or pet feces.

Secure all your trash in cans with tight lids. Remove all pet food and water every night. Clean up your pet waste each day.

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Seal Your Walls

Roof rats can enter your home through an opening as small as a quarter. Survey your home for any cracks, holes, or gaps in your outer walls or at places where a joint forms, such as around window and door frames or where trim meets. Pay special attention to heating and cooling vents, drying ducts, and plumbing around your sink, dishwasher, or washing machine.

Patch or caulk any cracks or openings you find. Use a strong material, such as wire mesh, to close these openings. Otherwise, roof rats may be able to chew through the closure.

Seal the Attic & Roof

Roof rats may find even more openings in your home through the attic or roof. Common entry points include the chimney, attic vents, and broken roof tiles. You must work with a roofing company to inspect your roof for these openings, which may be hard for you to identify. The contractor can perform the necessary roof maintenance to ensure there are no entry points for these pests.

Choose Allstate Roofing for Expert Roof Rat Prevention & Repair in Phoenix

For shingle re-roofing or qualified tile roofers near you, Allstate Roofing is the roofing company in Phoenix that is best qualified to take care of your roof rats.

We can help you keep out roof rats for good. Our Phoenix, AZ team can inspect your attic and roof to find any potential entry points for these pesky rodents. We’ll perform whatever roof maintenance or repair is needed on your Phoenix roof to deal with any damage the rats have caused and to keep them out in the future. Call a roofing company you can trust to get results. Contact us today to deal with your roof rat problem once and for all.