Based on the most recent estimate, there are at least 235 million rats that are infesting the streets of the USA. Two most prominent types of rats that can be found in the US would be the roof rat and the Norway rats. Despite of its name, Norway rats do not originate from Norway. These rats originated from the Central Asia and eventually spread to Europe during 18th century. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the rats would be its teeth that are constantly growing. In order to control its growth, they will have to gnaw tough materials.

List of Things That Rats Can Chew Through

The Independence rat will basically chew on different things that are softer than its teeth. Based on the Mohs rank scale, the hardness of the rat’s teeth is around 5.5. This means that it is tougher compared to copper or iron. The teeth of the rat are also harder compared to the human tooth. Here are some items that they can chew through.

Electric Wires

While the Missouri rats may not necessarily target our electrical wires, there are instances that we will encounter damaged wirings. They may destroy our wires directly or indirectly while gaining an access to other rooms. When your lights are flickering or your appliances suddenly stopped working, look at the main switch or the circuit board. In case, nothing is wrong in this part, you will have to start examining the damages on your electrical wires. Be certain that you will wear durable gloves and headlamps when looking for the damages. You don’t want to accidentally touch exposed live wires that may lead to electrocution.

Water Pipes

Another expensive damage that rat can cause would be the damages on our water pipes. These are potential water source for the rat. Make sure that you will constantly check the water pipes for any signs of leakage. Any leaks will result to water damages that can lead to costly repairs and mold and mildew growth that can make your place an unsafe place to live in. 

Wood

Due to the strong teeth of the Missouri rats, they can also penetrate the woods and boards that may weaken the foundation of our house. They will gradually chew the wood materials inside our house and will reduce it down to the size of a toothpick. Any damages in the construction materials can affect the stability of our house. 

Insulation

The Independence rats can tear the insulation in our house that can immensely increase the energy consumption of our house. They may destroy insulation when creating nests during the breeding season. The warmth and comfort that the insulation materials provide are excellent addition for their nest.  

These are just some of the materials that they can destroy by their strong teeth. Any minute that you wait can spell the impending demise of your house. If you do not want to incur thousands of dollars worth of repair, you should immediately seek the assistance of the rat removal experts.