Learn why roof rats move into your attics and wall voids in the fall in our video:
Why It Suddenly Feels Like Spider SFall in Florida – When Scratching From the Attic at Night Can Start
In south Florida, the fall is when the traditional storm season starts to wind down and the higher tropical temperatures begin to get cooler, especially at night. That’s when many homeowners begin to hear some scratching and scurrying noises from above. The culprit is usually roof rats – local pests that are active year-round, but who find warm, protected attics to be the perfect place to shelter and nest when the weather gets cooler. The temperature is only part of the equation, however. Food, water, fruit and vegetation, and access to the roofline or gap in the home caused by storm damage are all factors in roof-rat behavior. In this blog post, we’ll cover why and how roof rats can become more active and noticeable in the fall and what homeowners can do about it.
Why Roof Rats Are So Good At Getting Into Attics
Roof rats have earned their name for a reason. UF/IFAS experts describe this particular species of rodent as agile and well-adapted climbers, who can scurry up a wide range of natural and man-made objects as they travel around your property and seek out food. Some of the more common things they’re known to climb include:
- Tree branches
- Palm fronds
- Vines
- Utility lines
- Pipes
- Fences
- Sheds
- Rough or uneven exterior surfaces
Unlike many other rats or rodents that homeowners are used to encountering at ground level, roof rats frequently approach and infiltrate a home from above. Once on the roofline, they are diligent and opportunistic pests that can squeeze inside gaps inside the soffit, fascia, ventlines, and damaged parts of the roof. They settle inside the attic or behind the interior walls of the home as they set up a new home to shelter and nest in.
What Are Signs of Roof Rats in an Attic?
Roof rats can be sighted or detected during the day, but they’re typically more active at night, so that’s the time when homeowners might begin to notice signs of their presence inside the home.
Common signs of roof rats in the attic or home are:
- Scratching or scurrying noises (especially at night)
- Droppings
- Gnaw and scratch marks
- Greasy rub marks
- Shredded nesting materials
- Damage around stored items (boxes, bags, bins, etc)
- Half-eaten fruit outside and on the roof
Don’t assume every noise that comes from the attic or above is a roof rat, but if homeowners observe multiple signs over a period of time, particularly at night, then it warrants a closer inspection.
Why You Don’t Want Roof Rats Settling Into the Attic
Attics and sometimes the spaces behind interior walls give roof rats a quiet, protected, and warm nesting location that they can travel to and from as they search for food and nesting materials. But for homeowners, the presence of roof rats can create costly problems. Besides climbing, roof rats also chew, gnaw, shred, and scratch building materials. They can damage insulation, rafters, wiring, pipes and utility lines, and stored possessions in boxes, bags, and bins.
Roof rats also leave behind urine and droppings that can contaminate the attic and stored materials. Their gnawing is a concern in particular, especially around wiring and structural components of the homes like beams and rafters. The longer they remain inside the home, the more difficult and costly it becomes for exclusion and cleanup. Besides homeowners, many local businesses have to deal with the constant threat posed by roof rat populations. One recent inspection for a business in Broward County proved that rodent pressures are a year-round and pervasive problem.
Check These Common Roof Rat Entry Points
As the summer storm season begins to wind down, it’s a good time for southeast Florida homeowners to inspect their yards and homes for storm damage. It doesn’t take a large and obvious hole or gap for a roof rat to find and investigate it. Places that homeowners should give a thorough inspection to include:
- Soffits
- Roof vents
- Flashing
- Fascia gaps
- Attic vents
- Utility line and plumbing penetrations
- Roof returns
- Gaps where home-additions and/or rooflines meet
- Any storm-damaged areas
Homeowners should also inspect the trees and vegetation in their yard and how close they are to the house. Roof rats use vegetation to travel easily onto structures, so UF/IFAS also recommends managing tree limbs, palms, vines, and overgrown vegetation that can give rodents access to roofs and shelter near homes. Make sure that any branches, vines, or dense vegetation are trimmed back at least 5-10 feet from the roofline.
How Your Yard Might Be Helping Roof Rats Reach Your Home
Preventing roof rats doesn’t end with the attic, roof, and home exterior, however. As previously mentioned, roof rats use dense or overgrown vegetation for concealment and travel. Trimming back branches, limbs, and palm fronds from near the roofline is an important preventative measure. Also important is removing easy access to the natural resources that rodents need to survive: food and water. Common sources of food and water for roof rats include:
- Fruiting trees
- Fallen fruit
- Palm fruit
- Bird seed
- Pet food
- Open or unsecured garbage
- Standing water
Homeowners should take proactive measures to remove as many of the travel paths and natural resources that make their home and yards attractive to roof rats. Here are a few recommended steps to take in the fall:
- Pick up fallen fruit regularly.
- Trim back branches, limbs, and palm fronds away from the roofline
- Cut back vines touching exterior walls
- Store pet food and bird seed securely
- Keep garbage containers tightly closed
- Fix outdoor leaks
- Tip over or drain unnecessary collected water
Taking these steps will remove many of the conditions that make it easier for roof rats to settle inside your home. They’re opportunistic foragers and scavengers, so if conditions aren’t ideal, they will often move on to another yard or home that’s more promising.
Why Sealing One Hole Usually Isn’t Enough
If you do notice a hole or gap in your roofline or home exterior, be mindful that simply sealing that one opening without determining if roof rats are already inside can create additional problems. Sometimes sealing the gap can inadvertently trap the roof rat inside, which can actually make their presence and activity even more noticeable – the dreaded “second wave”.
Long-term roof rat control and prevention shouldn’t rely on a singular tactic, and monitoring and follow-up are critical because roof rats may seek out alternate entry points and travel routes. A well-rounded and overall strategy would combine:
- Trapping: Addressing rodents that may already be inside
- Exclusion: Closing access points after identifying how rats are getting in
- Sanitation: Removing available food and water sources
- Habitat reduction: Trimming vegetation and eliminating outdoor harborage
By approaching the problem from multiple angles, homeowners are more likely to successfully deal with pressures from local roof rat populations.
Hearing Scratching? Inspect Before Roof Rats Settle In
Sometimes, however, even the most diligent of preventive measures can’t stop every rodent. Homeowners might want to take action if they keep noticing repeated signs and sounds of roof rat activity:
- Repeated nighttime noises
- Droppings
- Gnawing
- Rub marks
- Damaged exterior surfaces or insulation
- Half-eaten fruit
- Suspected roof access points
If homeowners are noticing several of these signs, it might be time to call a professional. A local pest control company can inspect the home to determine whether roof rats are actually present, where they are getting in, and what conditions are supporting their presence. They’ll be able to determine how exclusion, trapping, and future prevention should be properly sequenced.
Here at Nozzle Nolen, we’re experts on south Florida pests and rodents, especially roof rats. We offer professional roof rat inspection, exclusion, and rodent control programs for south Florida homes. You can always visit our website to schedule a free initial inspection and consultation today.
