When not controlled, rodents can cause severe damage to your home. It makes no difference whether you live or work—in the city, the suburbs, or the country—because you can occasionally have rodent issues.

Rodent infestations can go undetected for months before you notice a mouse or rat problem in your home. Knowing the warning signals to watch for in your home will help you fix problems more quickly and efficiently because the earlier you can spot an issue, the sooner you can solve them. It is best to call a pest control expert if you notice an infestation.

Finding rat droppings in or around your home is a standard indicator of a severe infestation, even though you will likely smell their droppings before you see them. Watch out for tiny, black dropping. These may be found anywhere, including along baseboards in bedrooms or on your kitchen counter. Fresh excrement is wet and black.

  • Scratching Noises

Rodents have limited vision and are nocturnal. It’s crucial to be aware that mice and rats often make more noise at night. Therefore, it may be beneficial to pay close attention while it is dark if you are searching for indications of a rodent infestation. 

As they go through walls and along floors at night, they frequently make scratching noises. You might hear them more when you’re in bed because they enjoy peaceful times in the house to look for food.

  • Gnawing

Rats and mice must continue to bite to keep their teeth strong and healthy since they never stop developing. Watch for tearing and rough bite marks on cardboard, plastic, bedding, furniture, and insulation.

In addition, rats enjoy gnawing on electrical wiring, so look beneath your appliances for any indications of this. They frequently travel the same paths, scurrying along walls and furniture to sense and navigate their surroundings.

  • Nests

Some of the biting and gnawing scars you may notice throughout your house may also be evidence that rats have been gathering materials for their nests. Rodents use shredded paper, fabric, or dried plant stuff to build their nests. They will occasionally even enter walls or insulation to create their nests there. Roof rats often build their nests above ground in trees or attics.

  • Urine Odor

A distinct, musky odor permeating the entire house is one of the first symptoms many homeowners may notice that could point to a rodent infestation.

In enclosed spaces where they dwell, such as cupboards, drawers, or shadowy attic corners, the smell of ammonia can be overpowering. Even through the walls or floorboards where they move, you might be able to smell them. The stench of a dead rat or mouse is another repulsive smell that might warn you of rodents.

The more often rodents enter a particular section of your home, the longer an infestation lasts and the worse the damage becomes. The sooner you can identify a rodent infestation, the sooner you may contact a professional to address the issue before more rodents breed, give birth, or invade other areas of your home.