Pest Control In Enfield

Not based in Enfield? Other local areas our pest control experts cover include, Hackney, Chiswick & Ealing.

A changing climate and other environmental factors has seen the UK subjected to periods of intense flooding in recent years, a situation which appears to be gradually increasing.

Enfield is one of the regions within the UK which has been deemed as an area of serious water stress by the Environment Agency with Edmonton and housing around Salmons Brook, Pymmes Brook, Cuffley Brook and the River Lee particularly at risk.

Unfortunately flooding brings with it an additional hazard: rats.

Even if you are lucky enough to escape without flooding to your home, the escape of river water into the nearby streets can significantly increase the risk of rats invading your home.

Responsibility

The ideas of having rats infesting your home may seem ludicrous, particularly if your property is clean and tidy but with rising water levels, rats will escape to higher ground and look for a source of warmth, food and shelter.

In many cases a rat will identify your home or your outbuildings as the perfect new abode.

Rats are intelligent vermin and will quickly identify the best places to seek out what they need, and will not deliberately shy away from areas where humans live.

Studies have suggested that following a flood, or increased river water in an area, the risk of rat infestation rises by as much as a third, making pest control a necessity.

As the tenant or owner of the property, it is your responsibility to ensure that not only your home, but also your land, is kept free of rats. This is stipulated under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 and can lead to prosecution in extreme cases.

How to spot them

Spotting rats sooner rather than later will make an infestation much easier for pest control to get rid of. Don’t be tempted to try to get rid of a rat yourself; you may only see one but you can be certain that many more of its long-tailed compatriots will be hiding nearby.

Killing one rat will not ‘send a message’ out to the other rats; this is not an effective way to manage pest control.

If you spot any signs of rats living on your land or in your home, it’s best to call in professional pest control services as they will be able to get rid of them quickly and humanely.

If you see a rat returning to an outbuilding or a shed, you probably already have a colony of rats on your land and need to call in pest control experts immediately.

However, you won’t always see the rat itself; there are many other tell-tale signs that you have an infestation.

You may hear scratching, scurrying or gnawing sounds coming from your loft or wall cavities. This could be due to mice, rats or even squirrels; all of these are vermin which cause significant problems in a home and require professional pest control.

Also look out for signs of bitten or chewed furniture, walls or wires and cables; you may even see tooth marks on packaging or food.

Rat droppings are one of the most obvious signs; these are around 15mm to 20mm long and grey or black in colour.

Access holes made by rats are another giveaway but they are much more diminutive than you might imagine; a rat can squeeze through an opening as small as a 2p piece.

Outside, look for new pathways created by flattened grass and plants; this is caused by rats coming and going from their new nest.

Take swift action

Rats can breed very quickly and whole colonies can be established with worrying speed. Therefore if you think you spot a rat on your property, reacting quickly to call in professional pest control will result in the quickest and easiest outcome for all concerned.

Alternatively visit Pest Control Solution Finder Pest Control 10 lists a wide selection of different pest contractors.