What Do I Do If Rats Are in the Sewer and Getting Into My House?
If you’re hearing scratching in the walls, noticing gnawed pipes, orâworst of allâspotting a rat in your bathroom or basement, there’s a good chance the problem started deep underground. Sewer rats arenât just urban legendsâthey’re real, and theyâre getting bolder. But how are they getting from city sewers into your home or business?
Letâs break down whatâs happening and how the pest control industry now has a cutting-edge answer: the Sewer Assassin⢠Bait Station.
Sewer-Dwelling Rats: Norway Rats and Roof Rats
Two common culprits in urban rodent problems are:
- Norway Rats (also called brown rats): Heavier-bodied and excellent swimmers, these rats are right at home in wet, dark environments like municipal sewer systems.
- Roof Rats (also known as black rats): More agile and climbers by nature, theyâre increasingly found in sewer systems too, especially in warm climates where subterranean access provides food and safety.
Both species have adapted alarmingly well to life in the sewers, and theyâre thriving beneath our feet in cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, and many more.
How Rats Get From the Sewer Into Your Home or Business
- Following Private Plumbing Laterals
Rats travel through municipal sewer mains and follow private sewer lateralsâthe pipes connecting your building to the main sewer line. These pipes often carry food-rich waste that attracts rats like a beacon. Once inside the lateral, rats:
- Smell food waste, grease, and organic matter.
- Follow the pipe upstream.
- Find a break, gap, or improperly sealed junctionâand enter your property.
- Deteriorating Cast Iron Pipes
In older neighborhoods, many homes and commercial buildings still rely on decades-old cast iron plumbing. Over time, these pipes:
- Corrode and crack.
- Separate at the joints.
- Develop gaps wide enough for rats to squeeze through (as little as ž inch!).
This aging infrastructure essentially gives rats a highway straight to your crawlspace, attic, basement, or even inside your walls.
- Remodels Gone Wrong
Renovations and remodels often involve changes to plumbing. If these updates are done without proper venting, sealing, or code-compliant retrofitting, they can:
- Leave open pipe ends inside walls.
- Bypass traps and vents that normally block rodents.
- Create new, unintended entry points for rats.
Enter the Sewer Assassinâ˘: The Industryâs Smartest Solution
Until recently, sewer rat control was a losing battle. But now, professional pest control companies have access to a game-changing tool: the Sewer Assassin⢠Bait Station.
What is the Sewer Assassin�
The Sewer Assassin⢠is a sealed, tamper-proof rodent baiting system that is deployed directly into plumbing lines at clean-outs. Itâs designed to:
- Prove rat activity underground with evidence-based monitoring.
- Control rodent populations at the sourceâbefore they ever enter your home.
- Prevent re-entry by keeping pressure on the infestation below the surface.
This innovative tool gives pest control professionals a direct line of defense inside the sewer system, where the rats live and breed.
Who Needs the Sewer Assassin�
If you own a home or business in an older area, especially where:
- Cast iron plumbing is still in use,
- Youâve had a recent remodel or addition,
- Youâve seen rats in kitchens, bathrooms, or basements,
…then you could benefit from a Sewer Assassin⢠installation.
Donât WaitâGet Ahead of the Problem
If rats are getting into your home from the sewer system, traps and bait stations inside or outside the house will only treat the symptom, not the source. You need a comprehensive solution that targets rodents where traditional methods fall short.
