3rd June 2013
Rats are well adapted to living in and around drainage systems, and problems with rats in sewers and drains can sometimes lead to activity around homes, gardens and commercial properties.
In many cases, rats remain below ground and cause no obvious problem inside the property. However, damaged drains, defective connections or openings around the drainage system can sometimes allow rats to leave the sewer network and find their way into buildings.
If you are seeing rats around drains, hearing movement beneath floors or repeatedly dealing with rats without finding an obvious entry point, the drainage system may be worth investigating.
If you need help with a rat problem, call Ian on 07821 318 954 for advice or to arrange an inspection.
Sewers and drainage systems can provide rats with several things they need: shelter, water, relatively stable temperatures and access to food waste.
Brown rats are particularly well suited to living around drains and sewers and are often associated with underground drainage systems.
Problems tend to arise when rats are able to move from the sewer or drain into areas where people live or work.
Rats cannot usually move directly through a sound, intact drainage system into a property. There generally needs to be some form of defect or opening that gives them access to the surrounding ground or building structure.
Possible routes can include:
Once a rat leaves the drainage system, it may be able to reach wall cavities, voids beneath floors or other hidden parts of the building.
This is one reason a rat problem can sometimes appear inside a property even though there is no obvious hole or entry point above ground.
It is not always obvious that the drainage system is involved, but certain patterns can make it more likely.
Signs can include:
None of these signs proves that the rats are coming from the sewer, but they can indicate that the drainage system deserves closer investigation.
Yes. Where a drainage defect allows rats to leave the sewer system beneath or beside a building, they may be able to reach hidden structural spaces.
Wall cavities can then provide a protected route through the property and, in some cases, up towards the loft.
This is particularly worth considering when homeowners repeatedly hear rats inside walls but cannot find an obvious entry point around the outside of the property.
You can read more about this on our guide to rats in cavity walls.
If the underlying access route remains open, simply treating the rats currently present may only provide a temporary solution.
New rats can potentially use the same route later, which is why some properties appear to suffer repeated infestations even after treatment has been carried out.
Where rats keep returning, the investigation should focus on both:
In some cases, that means checking the drainage system as well as inspecting the building itself.
Rats may burrow in soil around drainage runs and can take advantage of existing damage or weaknesses around pipework and chambers.
However, persistent rat activity around a drain does not necessarily mean that the rats caused the original defect. Older drainage systems can already contain cracks, displaced joints or other faults that provide rats with an opportunity to move between the drain and surrounding ground.
If there are signs of both drainage problems and rat activity, a drain inspection may help establish whether repairs are required.
The first step is normally to look at the pattern of rat activity around the property and identify whether the drains are a likely source.
Depending on the situation, investigation may include:
A drain camera survey can be useful, but the footage needs to be assessed carefully. Smaller defects, displaced joints or openings around connections can sometimes be less obvious than a major collapse.
This is possible in certain circumstances, but it is not the most common way rats enter a property.
Rats are capable swimmers and can move through drainage systems, but modern plumbing and traps are designed to provide a barrier between the sewer and the inside of a property.
If there is unusual activity around a toilet, drain or soil pipe, the drainage system should be investigated rather than assuming the rat simply entered through an open door or wall gap.
If rats appear repeatedly or there is no obvious way they are entering the property, it is worth looking beyond the immediate infestation.
The priority should be to:
Blocking a suspected entry point before dealing with the active rat problem can sometimes create additional problems, so the order of treatment and proofing should be considered carefully.
Ian provides professional rat control for homes and businesses across Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the surrounding North West.
If you have rats around drains, beneath floors, inside walls or elsewhere in the property, the aim is not simply to remove the rats currently present. Where possible, Ian will also look at what may be allowing the problem to occur and whether further investigation is needed.
Call 07821 318 954 or use the website contact form to explain what you have noticed.
You can also find out more about our rat control services.
Brown rats are well adapted to living around drains and sewer systems, where they can find shelter, water and food. Their presence below ground does not always create a problem until they gain access to the surface or a building.
Yes. If a damaged drain or defective connection allows a rat to leave the drainage system, it may be able to reach spaces beneath or inside the property.
Repeated infestations, activity around drains and rats appearing without an obvious above-ground entry point can all be clues. A proper inspection is usually needed to determine whether the drainage system is involved.
Repairing a confirmed drainage defect can be an important part of preventing future access, but the active infestation also needs to be dealt with properly. Rats already inside the property should not simply be sealed in.
Not every rat problem requires a drain survey. However, where rats repeatedly return and there is evidence that the drainage system may be involved, a CCTV inspection can help identify hidden faults or access points.
If you suspect rats are entering from drains or sewers, call Ian on 07821 318 954 to discuss the problem and arrange an inspection.
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