by HannahWho Is Responsible For Rats In Drains?
Most rat infestations begin when these agile rodents enter your property through a small gap. While small holes are often found in your home’s exterior, they can also be identified in your drain pipes.
Rats are skilled at digging and will often use your drainage system to make their way inside your property, where they can cause serious damage and pose a health risk.
Because your drain pipes are underground, it can be difficult to work out where the rat infestation originated.
So, who is responsible for rats in drains? Keep reading to find out more about how rats enter your drainage system and what you need to do.
How Do Rats Get Into Your Drainage System?
Rats are confident swimmers and many live within the sewers surrounding your home, which is the perfect environment for them. If building works are carried out, or if pipework is not fitted correctly and displacement occurs, rats can use these weaknesses to make their way inside your property.
For example, if you’ve had a new extension built over gullies in the pipe system, or you’ve had bathroom or kitchen upgrades, and the concrete surrounding the pipes hasn’t been fitted properly, rats will find gaps and make them larger.
With the concrete surrounding the pipes gone, the rats can follow the pipe to your home and then gnaw their way in by biting through rubber reducers or pushing through displaced joints.
If you get building work done and old soil lines are closed but not capped off properly, then rats can use even a small crack to enter your property.
Signs Of Rats In Drains
As your drain system is underground, it can be hard to see the entry points used by rats in your drains without a CCTV drain survey. Thankfully, there are several signs you can see on the surface, including:
- A Rat Infestation With No Clear Entry Point: The most obvious sign that there are rats in drains on your property is that you have rodents but don’t know how they’re getting inside. If you can’t see a clear hole or gap above ground, then speak to your local pest control specialist about a drain survey.
- Blocked Drains And Slow-Flowing Water: Broken drains caused by rats in drains can lead to drainage issues, such as blockages caused by twigs entering through the same gaps made by the rats and slow drainage. If you’re dealing with unexplained drainage problems, then this is a sign that there might be rats in your drain pipes.
- Leaks: If you have a water meter, check the water company’s statement regularly and watch out for sudden increases in usage. This could be a sign that there are leaks caused by rats in your drains.
How To Find Out Who Is Responsible For Rats In Drains
In Northern Ireland and the UK, property owners are responsible for drain systems within their property boundaries. The main sewer lines and lateral drains are the responsibility of the local water company.
As mentioned previously, rats often enter your drainage system close to the property through defects on your property, so their entry points are usually on your land.
Sometimes, the problem might have originated from a neighbouring property, in which case it is their responsibility to maintain drains on their land and stop rats from entering your space.
To find out where the rats entered your property, you need a CCTV drain survey. At the end of the survey, you’ll receive a report detailing the issues found and suggesting what work can be done to prevent rats from re-entering your drainage system.
Be Proactive And Get A CCTV Drain Survey
Rats might not seem like a big deal, but these destructive rodents spread diseases and can cause major damage to your property in search of shelter and a reliable food source. If you notice signs of rats in drains, then you need to find their access points fast, meaning a CCTV survey of your drainage system could be vital.
It’s not just properties with an existing rat infestation that might need a drain survey. In pest control, prevention is always better than the cure. As such, if you’re buying a new home, have just had a new bathroom or kitchen renovation, or are worried that rats might be able to use your drain pipes to enter your space, then consider getting a drain survey.
A drain survey is an inspection of your drainage system. At Flytech Pest Control, we use cutting-edge CCTV cameras with a 365-degree rotating camera head that can allow us to complete an in-depth inspection of your drains. As drain surveys are a vital part of our work as a professional pest control provider, our team has completed NADC CCTV training so they know how to find where rats have gained entry and can ensure necessary repairs are carried out to prevent future infestations.
Our team offer CCTV drain surveys for homes and businesses across Belfast, Lisburn, Antrim, Newtownards, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey, and surrounding areas. Whether you need a domestic or commercial CCTV drain survey, Flytech has the specialist equipment and skills needed to carry out your survey.
For minor repairs, we can carry out the work ourselves. In the case of major drain work, we can recommend local drain experts who can do the job for you. As Flytech are a leading local pest control company, if we find signs of rat ingress or an existing rat infestation, then we can carry out rat control services to eradicate the rodents.
With our help, you can reduce the risk of damage to your property and find the source of the problem. In most cases, the homeowner is responsible for rats in drains, but if we find evidence that the issue originated outside of your property boundaries, then we can provide this to you and help you to claim the costs back from the party responsible.
If you suspect rats are using your drains to enter your home, you need fast support. A professional pest controller from Flytech can carry out your drain survey and then deal with your rat problem proactively. With local team members across Lisburn, Belfast and the surrounding area, we can quickly attend your property and provide fast support. To book your CCTV drain survey, remove rats and get peace of mind about your home’s drainage system, contact us on 07955 008274.