Identify roof and Norway rats, seal the gaps they enter through, and control them with exclusion and trapping — not risky poisons.
Call (619) 421 - 2101Rats are one of the harder pests to be rid of in San Diego, because trapping alone never keeps them away for long — as long as the gaps stay open, more will follow. This Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan is built around exclusion: identifying the species, closing the entry points, and using trapping rather than poisons to bring the population down safely.
The roof rat, San Diego’s most common, is an expert climber that enters from the roofline. Getting rid of it for good means thinking about the whole structure, not just where you last saw droppings.
Want a tailored rat IPM plan for your property?
Call (619) 421 - 2101 →Two species turn up locally — and where they live tells you where to look.
The most common rat in San Diego. An agile climber that nests high — in attics, rafters, and trees — and usually enters buildings from the roofline.
A bulkier ground-dweller that burrows under structures and debris. Less common locally than the roof rat, but a serious problem where it takes hold.
Traps thin the population, but rats keep coming back until the openings are closed. Exclusion — sealing roofline gaps, vents, and foundation penetrations with rodent-proof steel mesh — is the permanent fix. It is the heart of every rat plan we build, and where trapping and clean-up finally start to stick.
How GC Termite Control manages rats — from exclusion and trapping to a judicious chemical last resort.
Knowing whether you have roof rats or Norway rats determines where to look and how to treat.
Remove food and close the gaps, and rats lose both the reason and the route to come in.
Changing the landscape around a structure removes the shelter rats rely on.
Natural predators help keep rats in check — which is a big reason to avoid poisons.
Trapping and barriers are the workhorses of rat control — effective and poison-free.
When rodenticide is genuinely necessary, it is used carefully and never as the first move.
Cut off the food and close the gaps rats depend on.
Store food and pet food in sealed, rodent-proof containers
Pick up fallen fruit and uneaten pet food outdoors
Keep trash in tightly sealed bins
Seal gaps larger than a quarter inch with steel or copper mesh
Repair damaged vent and foundation screens
Add door sweeps to exterior doors
Trim tree limbs and vines away from the roof
Clear clutter, woodpiles, and debris from against the house
GC Termite Control will find the entry points, exclude and trap the rats, and repair the damage — so they stay gone.
Roof rats are sleek climbers with large ears and a tail longer than their body; they nest high, in attics and trees. Norway rats are bulkier burrowers with small ears and a shorter tail; they stay low, in basements and ground-level burrows. In San Diego, the roof rat is by far the more common of the two.
Roof rats usually come in from the roofline — through vents, eaves, and gaps around pipes — often using overhanging tree branches as a bridge. Rats are able to squeeze through a gap about the size of a quarter, so even small openings matter.
Rodenticides carry a real secondary-poisoning risk: pets and natural predators like owls and hawks can be harmed by eating a poisoned rat. That is exactly why professionals lead with exclusion and trapping and reserve bait for tamper-resistant stations when it is truly needed.
Trapping reduces the current population, but lasting control comes from exclusion — sealing every gap larger than a quarter inch and cutting off roof access. Where rats have already caused damage, our structural repairs team can restore and rodent-proof the affected areas.
