7 Signs You Have Rats in Your Roof (and What to Do)
Black rats — often called roof rats — are outstanding climbers and will use overhanging branches, downpipes and cabling to get into a roof space. Once inside they nest in insulation, chew cabling and contaminate the void.
Because they are nocturnal and stay above the ceiling, most homeowners hear a rat problem long before they see one.
The seven signs to look for
If two or more of these apply, you almost certainly have an active infestation.
- Scratching, scurrying or thumping in the ceiling between dusk and early morning.
- Droppings — dark, 10–20mm, tapered at the ends — in the roof void, garage or the back of cupboards.
- Gnaw marks on timber, plastic conduit, food packaging or electrical cabling.
- Greasy dark rub marks along beams, pipes and the tops of walls where rats travel the same runs.
- Shredded insulation, paper or fabric formed into nests.
- A persistent ammonia-like smell in a closed roof space.
- Pets fixating on the ceiling, a wall cavity or the top of a cupboard.
Why rats in the roof are urgent
Rodents gnaw constantly to keep their incisors filed down, and electrical cabling is a favourite target. Chewed wiring in a roof void is a genuine fire risk, and insurers do not always treat rodent damage as covered.
Rats also carry leptospirosis and salmonella, and their droppings and urine contaminate insulation and stored goods in the space.
How we treat a roof rat problem
Baiting alone is a short-term fix. Removing rats and keeping them out takes three steps.
- Inspect the roof void, sub-floor and perimeter to map runs, nests and entry points.
- Deploy tamper-resistant bait stations and snap traps placed on active runs, kept out of reach of children and pets.
- Identify and seal entry points — broken tiles, gaps at eaves, weep holes, and gaps around service penetrations — and trim branches that bridge to the roof.
What not to do
Avoid throwing loose bait pellets into a roof void. It puts bait where pets and native wildlife can reach it, and a rat that dies inside an inaccessible cavity creates a serious odour problem for weeks. Bait belongs in secured stations on known runs.
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Common questions
How quickly can rats be removed from a roof?+
Most roof rat jobs are controlled within 7–14 days with baiting and trapping, followed by a proofing visit to seal entry points so the problem does not repeat.
Is rodent bait safe with pets in the house?+
Yes, when used correctly. We place bait only in locked, tamper-resistant stations or in roof voids and sub-floors your pets cannot access.
Do you seal the entry points as well?+
We identify every entry point during inspection and provide a proofing plan. Sealing accessible gaps is what stops the next colony moving in.