How can rats get into an apartment? - briefly
Rats enter through gaps around pipes, vents, doors, windows, cracks in walls or foundations, and by traveling along utility lines or sewer connections. Sealing openings and maintaining exterior integrity prevents intrusion.
How can rats get into an apartment? - in detail
Rats gain entry through openings that accommodate their body size and flexibility. An adult rat can pass through a gap as small as ¼ inch (≈6 mm); juveniles manage even narrower spaces. Structural deficiencies, poorly sealed fixtures and utility penetrations provide the most common routes.
• Gaps around doors and windows – weather‑stripping wear, cracked frames or misaligned sashes create continuous apertures.
• Cracks in foundation or exterior walls – settling, moisture damage or inadequate mortar allow rodents to burrow upward.
• Utility penetrations – openings for water, gas, electrical or telephone lines often lack proper collars; rats push through the voids.
• Ventilation and exhaust ducts – roof vents, attic fans and dryer vents are frequently fitted with mesh that can be torn or bypassed.
• Sewer and drainage pipes – damaged seals or missing trap covers let rats travel from the sewer system into lower‑level rooms.
• Chimney flues – gaps around the chimney crown or missing caps provide a direct path from the roof to interior spaces.
• Roof and soffit openings – loose soffit panels or damaged roofing underlayment create entry points near eaves.
Rats exploit these weaknesses by gnawing, squeezing, and climbing. Their incisors continuously grow, enabling them to chew through wood, plastic, soft metals and insulation. Once inside, they use hidden pathways—behind appliances, within wall cavities, and under flooring—to move undetected. Preventive measures focus on sealing all openings larger than ¼ inch, installing metal mesh or steel wool in gaps, and maintaining structural integrity to eliminate the conditions that attract infestation.