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Rat Blockers: How to Stop Rats Climbing Drain Pipes

12th September 2024

Rat Blockers: How to Stop Rats Climbing Drain Pipes

Rat Blockers: How To Stop Rats Climbing Drain Pipes Your Complete Guide

According to the British Pest Control Association, there are anywhere between 10.5 million and 120 million rats in the UK. They play a key role in our ecosystem, but anyone who’s had rats in their drains before knows an infestation can bring serious problems. Let’s look at how to stop rats in drains!

Rats can collapse their bodies in a way that gives them easy access to drains via small gaps and tight spaces. Once rats enter the drainage system, they can cause significant damage to pipes and lead to problems including blockages and leaks. If you suspect rats are in your drains – either at home or on a commercial premises – they need to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Here, we explain what attracts rats to drains, how to tell if there are rats in your drains, how to handle a rat infestation in your drain, and how To stop rats climbing drains.

What Attracts Rats to Drains?

Nearly half a million tonnes of fats, oils and grease (FOG) enter the UK sewage system every year. The grease sticks to the walls of pipes and builds up, mixing with other items that enter the system – like wet wipes – to create fatbergs. It’s these fatbergs that attract rats and from there, they enter the pipes that serve our properties.

How To Tell if There Are Rats in Your Drains

Drains offer the perfect environment for rats to live in, as they’re a warm, safe, and secure place filled with an unlimited supply of food and water from the waste we flush away. Rats enter via breaks or cracks in drain pipes, and from there can make their way around the sewer system and then directly into properties.

The common signs you have rats in your drains are:

  • Rat droppings around your premises – these are brown, spindle-shaped droppings that look like grains of rice.
  • Gnaw marks – rats can chew through pipes and plumbing, so you might see marks here as well as on wires, cables and packaging.
  • Noises – you might hear scuttling or scratching sounds around your property including in the walls, floors, attic or pipes.
  • Slowly draining water – you might notice water draining more slowly from sinks, toilets or outside drains, which could indicate a blockage caused by rats.

If you’ve spotted any signs of rats in your drain, contact your local drainage office to get a free no-obligation quote to resolve the problem.

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Can Rats Chew Through Drainpipes?

Yes, rats can chew through drains and pipes, which can cause leaks.

Who Is Responsible for Stopping Rats in Drains?

Depending on where the rat infestation has originated, different people are responsible for remedying the situation.

  • If the problem originated in a public drainage system, it is the duty of the local water authority to resolve the problem.
  • If the rats have entered drains connected to your property and you own the property, it is up to you to have them removed by a pest control expert. You should do this as soon as possible, to prevent further damage to your property and the local area.
  • If the rats have entered drains connected to your property but you do not own the property, it is usually the responsibility of a landlord to manage the situation. You should check your tenancy agreement to find out more.

What To Do if There Are Rats in Your Drains

If you suspect there is a rat infestation in your drains, a drainage expert can help you find out how they’re entering your drains, how bad the infestation is, and any additional damage the rats may have caused to your property.

A drainage engineer can explore your drainage system with a CCTV drainage survey, which involves inserting a camera into your pipes to check their condition. Any cracks or breakages which might be acting as access points for rats will be identified, which you can then have repaired.

A drainage expert can help solve the damage caused with repair work or through ongoing maintenance which will prevent the damage from getting worse, and implement solutions to prevent rats from entering the system again, such as rat blockers or rat gates.

Experts advise against trying a poison trap or removing rats yourself due to the risk of injury, property damage and damage to the environment. As well as a drainage expert, you should hire a pest control expert who will have the correct skills and knowledge to ensure the infestation has been removed.

What Is a Rat Blocker for Drains?

After you receive a CCTV drainage survey and understand how rats are entering your drains, your drainage expert can offer a ‘no-dig’ pathing or lining solution followed by a rat blocker.

Rat blockers for drains are an easy-to-install, single-flap mechanism which comes in various sizes to fit regular drain diameters. Once in place, your drains can flow normally – including all waste – but the non-return flap prevents rats from re-entering the drains once they’ve left. Rat blockers in drains should be checked once a year to ensure continued protection. The device is humane, poison-free and environmentally friendly.

Rat blockers are sometimes also called rat gates, and at Metro Rod, we work in partnership with RatGate, an official supplier of rodent prevention devices, to protect your property. If you would like to know how a RatGate device is installed, you can view their instructional tutorial here.

How To Stop Rats Going Up Drain Pipes

Once you’ve tackled a rat infestation is vital to ensure the situation doesn’t arise again. Living in the drainage system, rats are exposed to the waste we flush away, and the bacteria associated with that waste, meaning they’re able to carry diseases which are damaging to humans and the environment. If you continue to have an infestations, you are putting your health and the health of those around you at risk.

The key to preventing further rat infestations in your drain is to ensure your drainage system is in good working order and doesn’t attract rats in the first place. There are two main ways to achieve that –

  • Minimise the amount of fats, oil and grease (FOG) that is poured down your kitchen sink. FOG provides a source of food for rats, luring them into the drain, but also leads to blockages which can cause damage to pipes, allowing an inlet for rats. Scrape as much food waste into a bin as possible before you wash your dishes.
  • Install a drain pipe cover to stop rats. For example, a rat blocker or rat gate.
  • Work with a drainage expert to ensure your drains are regularly checked for breakages and leaks. Have any cracks repaired as soon as you can.

How Metro Rod Can Help Stop Rats in Drains

At Metro Rod, we understand the complexities of having rats in your drains and the potential challenges they can cause in both homes and commercial premises. If you suspect you have rats in your drain, you can contact your local office or call us on 0800 66 8800 to help solve the problem. We’re available 24/7/365 days a year for all of your drainage needs.

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Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist

We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00

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