Because rats and mice can transmit disease and breed rapidly, a suspected rodent infestation should be addressed as soon as feasible. We’ll explain how much a Brown rat exterminator costs and the expenses, benefits, and pitfalls of dealing with a rat infestation on your own.
Even if you’ve never seen a mouse or brown rat, your home could contain a mice or rat infestation. Because these pests are nocturnal, you’re more likely to notice their droppings, nests, or footprints than the creatures themselves. Other common symptoms of a rat problem include scratching sounds in the walls and holes chewed in drywall or food containers.
While you may be able to deal with one or two rats on your own, these pests reproduce so quickly that even a few of them can proliferate until the problem becomes unmanageable. In this scenario, you should contact a professional pest control firm to deal with the issue. We’ll go through the expenses of both DIY and professional rat pest control Chicago treatments, as well as give you some pointers on how to select the best exterminator for you and your property.
Many factors influence rat eradication pricing, which is why pest control firms normally undertake an assessment before issuing a cost estimate. Here are a few elements that may influence rodent control costs.
The Infestation Location
It will be more difficult to treat an infestation if it is located in an inconvenient or tough-to-reach location. While it’s difficult to predict how much extermination will cost based on location, keep in mind that infestations in an outdoor space or in occupied internal parts of the house, such as a kitchen or bathroom, will be on the lower end of the pricing spectrum. Infestations under foundations, in ceilings, under floorboards, or in heating ducts, on the other hand, are more likely to be severe.
The Severity
The cost of getting rid of brown rats is also affected by the number of rats you have. Larger infestations will necessitate more effort and money to eradicate. Unfortunately, determining the scope of a brown rat problem can be difficult until an exterminator has set the traps. The most serious infestations will almost certainly cost more than $1,000 to eliminate.
Removal Service Type
If you want wildlife control to utilize live traps to trap and remove the rodents, you’ll need to add at least $50 to the overall treatment fee because you’ll be paying for the technician to drive the rats away from your home.
Fumigation for rats is usually reserved as a last resort due to its high cost and inconvenience. This typically costs between $1 and $3 per square foot, so fumigate a 2,000-square-foot house for between $2,000 and $6,000. Fortunately, most mouse and rat infestations are manageable using traps.
Strategies for Preventing Future Rat Infestations
Once you’ve gotten rid of the rats, use the following methods to keep them out:
- Steel wool and caulk can be used to seal cracks and holes in your home’s walls, roof, attic, basement, and foundation.
- Food (including cat food) should be stored in sturdy containers with fitted lids.
- Install air vent screens.
- Trim back trees, bushes, and other vegetation from outside walls.
- Remove any standing water inside and outside your home.
- Remove potential nesting areas from your yard, like garbage and leaf piles.
- Garbage cans should be closed.