How Much Does It Cost to Remove Rats in an Attic in 2024?

Rats are surprisingly intelligent creatures and if you’ve discovered rats in your attic, they will likely be harder to get rid of than you’d imagine. These aren’t animals that you can fool for long with poison or other methods. Once a rat has died from a particular type of poison, all the other rats will often avoid it.

Furthermore, rats reproduce very quickly, so it’s pretty easy for new rats to take the place of older ones. Therefore, the method of extermination has to be very effective, or the rats will reproduce faster than they die.

In the end, this makes rat extermination very serious and costly. You’ll need a professional in practically all cases, and the process may take a few days.

The Importance of Removing Rats from an Attic

If you’ve noticed rats in your attic, you should quickly take steps to remove them. Rats can cause all sorts of issues that they don’t intend to. However, these issues can be severe (and even deadly, sometimes).

For instance, rats can spread disease quickly. Usually, this is done through the fleas that rats carry, which can hop off and bite humans. However, waste from the rat can also contain certain viruses and bacteria. If you contact this waste (even in a small amount), you could potentially get sick.

Of course, you can also get bitten by a rat or come into contact with a rat, which can also cause you to get sick.

The black plague was likely caused by rats, so this isn’t a laughing matter. Today, rats can spread Hantavirus, the bubonic plague, salmonella, and Leptospirosis. Rats also have a lot of allergens that many people are sensitive to. Therefore, if you have rats in your attic, dander and hair can quickly spread throughout your home. You don’t have to contact a rat to develop allergy symptoms.

Of course, rats can also cause damage to your attic. They tend to chew on a lot of stuff. Therefore, it isn’t odd to find that your walls, electrical cords, and other things have become damaged. Rats may also shred and destroy anything that is in your attic.

Gnawed electrical cords can be a fire hazard, potentially causing severe damage to your home. Plus, most insurance plans won’t cover fires caused by rat infestations, as treating the infestation is often considered a maintenance issue.

How Much Does Removing Rats from an Attic Cost?

Typically, the size of the infestation will have the most significant impact on the removal cost. Larger infestations will take more time to remove, making them cost more.

Furthermore, there are many different “types” of removal methods. For instance, you can fumigate your whole house, which often costs thousands of dollars. Typically, this is only done after other methods have failed or if your problem has spread throughout your home.

On the other hand, the initial pest control visit usually has one cost. Sometimes, removing the rats can be done on this visit if the issue is pretty tiny. However, if more visits are required, the price will increase. Larger infestations will need several treatments, which raises the price significantly.

Furthermore, some companies offer monthly treatments if this seems to be a recurring problem. In this case, the company will take preventative steps each month to keep the rats out. Often, this costs less than paying for continual removal.

Additional Costs to Anticipate

When you get a quote from a pest control company, be sure that you ask what that service includes. Sometimes, the service will include figuring out how the rats got in and patching up any holes. Other times, it won’t. If this isn’t included, you’ll have to pay for it separately—sometimes through a different company.

Cleanup can also be a big deal, especially if the colony is large. Many pest companies include cleanup since they will remove the rats anyway. However, there are some cases where this isn’t included. In this circumstance, we recommend paying someone or planning on doing it yourself.

Depending on the severity of the infestation, there is always a chance that the rats have damaged the home. Therefore, you may need to pay for electrical fixes and similar repairs. After the rats have been cleared, consider having a general contractor look at the damages.

Does Home Insurance Cover Rat Extermination?

No. Most insurance companies do not cover any infestations or pest control. Monthly prevention is considered a normal part of home maintenance, which isn’t covered under most policies. If you have an infestation, it is considered a preventable event. Therefore, your policy will not include it.

Instead, policies only cover events that aren’t predictable or tied to home maintenance.

However, if the infestation is tied to an unpredictable event, you may be covered. For instance, if rats move in after a tornado damages your home, the infestation may be tied to the tornado. However, many insurance companies will still argue that this is preventable.

How to Prevent Rat Infestations

There are several ways you can prevent rat infestations. The best way to do this is to remove any possible food sources. For instance, you should limit the food supply of rats by removing easy-to-access food in and around your home. Trashcans should be carefully covered, for instance, and leftover food should not be left out.

You should also reduce any shelter the rats may use. Remove boxes and papers, as rats often nest in these. If there isn’t anywhere for a rat to hide, they typically won’t take up shop.

If you notice any cracks leading to the outside of your home, you should take care to fix these, as well. If there isn’t a way for the rats to come in, an infestation cannot occur.

Conclusion

There are several ways to get rats out of your attic. However, we recommend a professional in all cases, as rats can be potentially dangerous. Even coming into contact with rat waste can cause diseases—some of which are pretty serious. Plus, a professional is often more effective at removing rats than the average person.

Luckily, a professional usually only costs a few hundred dollars to remove a colony and perform necessary cleanup work. Be sure to ask what is included in the service, as there are many things beyond just removing the rats that will likely need to be done. For instance, you may need to pay for general repairs if the rats cause any damage.

If this is a recurring issue, you may need to pay for monthly prevention or hire someone to figure out how the rats are getting in. These costs can add up quickly, especially if there are any complications.

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Featured Image Credit: Max Nustedt, Unsplash