Are you looking to get rid of those stubborn rats? Professional rat extermination might help you to remove rodents and prevent a future infestation on your property. Whether it’s your home or business, it’s vital to consult a professional rat exterminator instead of relying on DIY methods.
We understand you may have questions regarding rodent removal services. For instance, “how much does a rat exterminator cost?”, “where to get rat removal service?” and more.
That’s why we are here with an extensive guide to help answer those questions. In this guide, you will get a detailed idea of how professional extermination works and how much they will charge you.
Let’s get started!
How Do Exterminators Get Rid of Rats?
A rat exterminator possesses years of experience and leading-edge technology to provide rat removal services. However, their processes may vary as every service provider follows a separate approach.
Here we have created a four-step procedure that most exterminators use during the rat removal process for a better understanding.
Rat inspection
While you may have noticed the signs of a rat infestation, a pest professional will determine the density and location of the infestation. Thus, exterminators always inspect your entire property to confirm infestation before starting the removal process.
Rat inspection includes finding hidden signs of the infestation using a UV rodent tracker and other resources. In this, exterminators look for signs such as runways, greasy marks, gnaw marks, tail drags, and footprints to confirm an infestation.
Exclusion
In most cases, exclusion is for properties in which rats are found infesting outside the main building. This step is meant to restrict rats from entering your property and repel them so they seek out another place to nest.
An exterminator will seal all the entry points using mesh, metal flashing, or form. Additionally, they will eliminate food sources for rats so that they leave your property and seek food elsewhere.
Essentially, an exterminator wants to make your property as least appealing to rats and vermin as possible
Rat extermination
After a thorough inspection, an exterminator should know the location and level of infestation at your property. Rat extermination requires a professional to use safe and effective methods and resources. The extermination process is about removing the rats, killing them is only an option if required.
Mostly, exterminators use advanced rat traps, rodenticides, tracking powder, and fumigation during this process. But if there are too many rats or there are large colonies on your property, they may use tracking powder or lethal chemicals to eradicate them.
Cleaning
Rats are generally dirty animals and you can expect the infested area to be really nasty and unhygienic. From urine to fecal matters, the exterminator must clear everything to maintain hygiene. Not only does this step clean the infected area, but it also helps in identifying any remaining or hidden rodents.
Rat exterminators use rubber latex and vinyl gloves to clean the infested area to avoid spreading any diseases. Therefore, we recommend you don’t touch anything in the infested area as a dead rat or rat’s droppings can also spread diseases.
How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of Rats?
There’s no particular or fixed time in which exterminators can completely remove the infestation. Depending on a variety of factors, the rat removal process may take from two days to a few weeks. Let’s explore some factors that determine how long it takes to get rid of rats.
Area of your property
As discussed above, exterminators start the rat extermination process with an inspection. A residential home may not take much time but inspecting large offices with lots of square footage and floors can be challenging.
Similarly, exterminating rats from large-scale properties is also a time-consuming process. It’s always a great idea to get a quote and the expected time of removal from the service provider according to the area of your property.
Level of infestation
Besides the size of the area to be treated, the level or density of infestation plays a role in our long it takes to get rid of rats. Suppose you have a medium-sized home in Texas with several colonies of rats. Surprisingly, it may take more time than a large office with only a few rats.
Generally, you can expect it to take around 2-3 weeks to complete a rat extermination. That’s we recommend regular inspections to prevent large-scale rat infestation on the property which are more difficult and more time-consuming to treat.
Type of extermination
The extermination method is among the primary factors that determine how long the rat removal will take. Extermination methods such as ultrasonic rat removal and advanced rodenticides all take time and certain steps to complete before a true eradication can be achieved.
DIY methods such as baits, rat traps, and rat poison may appear to be quick fixes, but they are only temporary solutions. Your pest control specialist will choose the extermination method that is best for your situation and discuss the factors that determine the total rat exterminator cost.
Preventative measures
Unfortunately, rats are really stubborn and will keep coming back if you fail to maintain preventative measures. A quality exterminator will reveal and recommend repairs to structural gaps and all of the identified entry points to prevent a recurring rat infestation.
The number of preventative measures needed will affect rat removal service times and costs. The larger the number of entry points, the more time it will take to fix and complete the rat extermination process.
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How Much Does a Rat Exterminator Cost?
So, you may be asking, how much does a rat exterminator cost? Or how much do exterminators charge? When you hire a rat exterminator cost starts from hundreds of dollars but can go up to as much as thousands of dollars if there’s a large-scale infestation.
Here is a general guide to how most exterminators approach cost structure based on the type of rat removal methods.
Full rat removal treatment
As the name describes, full rat removal treatment includes a complete process from inspection to cleaning. Exterminators may also fix structural gaps and seal all the entry points to prevent future infestation.
With regards to pricing, a full rat removal treatment may cost anywhere from $200 to $6000 depending on the infestation.
Pest control visits
A pest control visit can also be referred to as regular rat inspections in which exterminators look for signs of infestation throughout the property. A visit or inspection generally does not include extermination, but you can get a quote or an approximation of costs, treatment plans, and time duration needed at that time.
The price of pest control can vary widely, but expect to pay between $150-300, depending on the area of your property.
Some pest control companies will provide the initial visit and estimate the cost for free. Or apply the cost of the visit to the cost of the treatment plan.
Monthly treatments
Monthly treatments are part of a maintenance program that includes monthly inspections and minor structural fixes. Generally, monthly treatments are relatively cheaper than full extermination treatments as they are designed to prevent rodents from coming back.
For example, a professional rat removal service provider may charge just $40-70 for monthly treatments.
Fumigation
Rat fumigation typically incurs the highest rat extermination cost among all other types of rat removal methods. With fumigation, exterminators wrap the home or building in a tent-like structure and pump in poison to kill the rats. Typically this type of extermination is reserved for a large-scale infestation.
The price of rat fumigation starts from $2000 but can reach up to $6000 if you have multiple colonies of rats in your home.
DIY methods
Lastly, there are do-it-yourself (DIY) methods which are the cheapest and typically less effective rat removal solutions. This may include repellents, baits, rat traps, poisons, and ultrasonic rat repellents. Thus, the price varies according to the type of DIY method you use.
For instance, you can buy 7-10 rat traps for just $10, while you may spend up to around $600 to install ultrasonic solutions.
Factors that Affect Rat Extermination Pricing
Location
When it comes to determining rat exterminator cost they can highly fluctuate because of where the infestation is located. As you might expect, some areas of your home or property are more readily accessible than others.
An infestation in areas that are hard to reach will require more time and expenses than compared to easily accessible areas. For example, an infestation that manifests in ceilings, foundations, and heating ducts could require a premium extermination cost.
Density of infestation
In addition to the location of the infestation, the sheer amount of rats that make up the infestation also influences rat extermination pricing.
An ordinary or small infestation can be removed at an average price of around $100-$600. However, it can reach $1000 if it is determined that you have multiple colonies of rats on the property.
Rats are great at hiding so, what may appear to be a minor infestation of just 4-5 rodents could easily be hundreds. Plus they stay hidden underneath in places where humans rarely go so that they go undetected. Once uncovered by a professional, this can lead to unexpected rat extermination costs.
Removal method
In the above section, we covered different removal methods that may have an impact on cost structures for pest control. Depending on the best method as determined by the pest control specialist you could pay upwards of $1 to $5 per square foot.
Particularly difficult rat removals in which multiple attempts are necessary could impact the overall costs.
Service provider
All of the above aside, cost structures can vary among rodent control service providers. Even within the same town, you may discover that pest control companies’ fees vary widely.
The best advice when shopping around is to consider the best value for your money rather than just whoever is the cheapest. Reputation and customer satisfaction will prove to be more valuable than the few dollars you may save by going with a pest control company that is inadequate.
For instance, SafePro Pest Control exterminator for rats, offers expert extermination and excellent customer satisfaction at an affordable price.
Our trained exterminators use leading-edge technology and professional resources to help you get rid of troublesome rats.
So when you search “where to get a rat removal service near me?” Make sure you’re finding reputable businesses that care about their customers and have the experience to back it up.
Click the button below to book a free inspection for your property!
Tips to Help You Avoid Future Rat Infestations
Seal entry points
The best way to prevent future rat infestations is to seal all entry points so that you block rats from entering your home in the first place.
As rats are extremely crafty and flexible, they can squeeze and enter your property using even the smallest of holes or minor structural gaps.
That’s why we recommend complete rat-proofing for the best results. Even if you don’t have any evidence of rats inside, it will help you prevent their entry in the future.
Mothballs
Mothballs are typically used to prevent stored clothes from being damaged by moths. You can also use mothballs as rat repellent to prevent rodent infestation.
Make sure you wear gloves while placing the mothballs and keep them out of the reach of children. While it’s not fool-proof, you can leave mothballs in closets, garages, or other areas that may be susceptible to rats.
Store your food
Rats usually enter your home because they see it as a source of food. That’s why we encourage homeowners to make sure that all food is stored in airtight containers. This includes pet food.
Plastic or glass containers are optimal to store your food and beverages to prevent them from attracting rodents.
Natural repellents
Besides mothballs, there are various rat repellents available on the market that use natural scents. Rats don’t particularly like the smell of peppermint oil, onion, garlic, pepper, and caster oil. These scents can act as repellents when placed at entry points,
However, if the desire to reach food and shelter is greater than the repellent, a natural repellent will not offer much protection against a strong-willed rat.
When Should You Call a Rat Removal Service?
An expert rat removal service is truly the best way to exterminate rats and prevent future infestation. The best advice to reduce rat exterminator cost and get the best results is to call a rodent control professional as soon as possible.
When you spot a rat
Whether you have spotted a rat scurrying or you see evidence of one on your property, call a rat removal service or pest control expert immediately. Any delay in service may lead to an increase in the level of infestation and thus increase the cost of rat extermination.
Rat infestation signs
Sometimes, you may not spot the rodent itself, but there are ways to find evidence of a rat.
Signs of rats include things such as droppings or chewed materials. Even if you’re not sure, we recommend calling a professional exterminator as they will confirm if there is an infestation and begin the extermination process.
Annual inspections and removals
Whether it’s your home or office, an annual pest inspection is key to ensuring there are no rats on your property.
During an inspection, exterminators will check for signs of an infestation, remove rats if any, and seal entry points to prevent future entry.
Conclusion
When it comes to exterminating rodents, the rat exterminator cost will depend on a number of variables. But you can easily make your investment worthwhile by understanding the cost structure.
In the article, the location and amount of rats can affect what a rat exterminator cost. There is also a variation of expenses that vary among pest control service companies
Most importantly, when considering a rat removal service provider you’ll want to hire a company that gives you the best value for your money while considering its reputation and history of customer satisfaction.
If you’re looking for rodent control services in Texas, please consider SafePro Pest Control. With years of expertise and our commitment to excellent customer service, you’ll find that our exterminators are experts at getting rid of your rodent and pest problems.