If you thought you were going to get a break from rats over winter, think again. Rats don’t hibernate and they excel at taking advantage of humans, whether that’s helping themselves to our food or sheltering in our homes and workplaces.
Problems caused by rats in your premises
Rats may not go to sleep during winter, but they don’t like the cold weather either, so they look for somewhere warm to hole up. This can be inside homes but also in workplaces, public buildings or commercial properties, especially if they can find food stored in a kitchen area.
This leads to a range of problems that can be made worse during holiday periods when premises are closed for lengthy periods:
- Rats spread diseases that can be harmful to humans and pets, such as rat-bite fever and Weil’s Disease.
- Rats contaminate stored food, which has to be thrown away.
- Rats give rise to unsanitary conditions by leaving behind faeces, urine and fur on surfaces. If found during a council inspection it can lead to kitchen facilities or entire food outlets being served with a closure order, costing income and ruining reputations.
- Rats are rodents, which means they will gnaw through obstacles to gain entrance. This causes structural damage as well as degrading electrical cables, water and gas pipes, insulation and furnishings. They can also destroy stock, paper and cardboard packaging
Once inside a property, rats will also build nests and breed, giving you a long-term problem.
What can you do to avoid a rat infestation?
There are ways to get rid of rats, such as traps and poison, and there are many professional pest control companies that can do this for you. However, these methods also have their own disadvantages when you are trying to run a business, manage accommodation or run health care facilities. And no organisation wants to have a pest control van parked out front, for reputational reasons. The best way to deal with rats is to prevent an infestation in the first place.
Drain and Sewer Services and Re-Tec: an anti-rat coalition 
Rats often use drainpipes to gain access to buildings; Drain and Sewer Services has built up over 50 years of experience in this environment. That’s why we’ve teamed up with pest control company Re-Tec, to become an approved installer of Re-Tec’s anti-rat patch system.
This technology consists of a fibreglass matting, blocking off disused drainpipes from unwelcome visitors. Re-Tec’s patching is also reinforced by a stainless-steel membrane that stops vermin from chewing through it.
We use no-dig technology to install the patches, with minimal cost and disruption, and once in place they come with a ten-year guarantee.
A holistic drain and sewer system service
Drain and Sewer Services, based in Aldershot, works with a wide range of clients responsible for extensive properties, to ensure that they continue to operate smoothly. We offer a regular maintenance programme to reduce the risk of problems arising while providing a 24/7 call-out should an emergency occur.
As well as offering solutions to rat infestation problems, our trained teams also use the latest remote-controlled camera equipment to survey drainpipes and sewers for damage which we then repair, or for blockages we remove using our inhouse fleet of lorry-mounted jetting and tanker equipment.
We also offer a wider range of routine services including maintenance, cleaning and emptying septic tanks, and pumping station maintenance.
Our workforce is NRSWA Streetworks Accredited so that they can safely carry out work in public on roadways, returning surfaces to their pre-repair conditions.
If you are responsible for public premises, such as schools or health facilities, or commercial property and need a regular drain and sewer maintenance and call-out service to prevent floods and blockages, then call us today on 01252 312738 or email info@drainandsewer.co.uk to book a visit.
Working alongside our professional partners, including Re-Tec, we bring the expertise to ensure that your property operates safely and without disruption for your staff, residents and visitors.
