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Adulting For the Home Home

When Was The Last Time You Cleaned The Outside Of Your Home?

It’s not just the inside of your home that needs regular cleaning. The exterior of your home can also benefit from occasionally being cleaned. It can help to make your home look more presentable and reduce damage. Don’t overlook the following tasks as you clean the outside of your home:

How to Clean the Outside of Your Home

Your Windows

The outside of your windows should get cleaned twice per year. It can stop the glass from getting too dirty and can prevent too much mold from growing on the frames. Ultimately, this can keep your windows presentable and allow sunlight into your home.

Cleaning your windows may be a job you can do yourself if your windows aren’t too hard to access. You may want to hire a window cleaning company if you have a larger property with very high windows. Read here for some window washing techniques

Your Roof

Your roof can get covered in dirt, moss, and algae over time. It can cause damage to many types of roofing – particularly shingles.

Roof cleaning can help to prolong the life of your roof. Consider carrying this task out every year or two. You can do it yourself, although it may be safer to hire roofing professionals. While cleaning your roof, it’s also worth cleaning any leaves out of your guttering.

Your Front Door Needs Attention Why You Clean the Outside of Your Home

A dirty front door can create negative first impressions. Consider when you last cleaned it and whether it needs sprucing up.

You can easily clean your front door by wiping it with a sponge. It could also be worth removing any cobwebs around your door that could impact its appearance.

Your Exterior Walls

The walls of your home can also get dirty over time. While bare brickwork is unlikely to get damaged, wooden siding could start to rot eventually if not cleaned.

The best way to clean the sides of your home is to use a hose or a pressure washer on a low-pressure setting. Scrubbing the side of your home is an option but may require getting on a ladder – you may want to hire a pro to handle this.

Your Patio

If you have a patio, it’s worth taking the time to clean this once per year. This can prevent the growth of algae and mold that could affect the appearance of your patio.

You can scrub your patio manually with a sponge or use a pressure washer. Or, you can hire a professional cleaning service for pressure cleaning. You can click here to know other types of cleaning services that you might take for cleaning the outdoors of your house. There are patio chemicals you can use to help loosen up dirt and make this task easier. 

Your Driveway

You may also want to consider occasionally cleaning your driveway. It will help to keep your driveway in good condition longer.

Aside from clearing away leaves, consider taking time to pressure wash your driveway to remove any moss or stubborn dirt. Consider doing it at least once per year. Clean spillages of oil as soon as you can to stop these staining permanently. 

Clean the Outside of Your Home

Taking care of the inside of your house is essential, but it’s equally important to clean the outside of your home. Follow these tips to ensure you do everything you can to improve the look of your home.

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Buying a Home For the Home Home Real Estate

Custom Homes Vs Self Builds: What’s The Difference and Which is Best?

Want to design your own house from scratch? There are two options that you can pursue: a custom home or a self build. Both are slightly different approaches that each have their pros and cons. This post explains the difference between the two so you can choose between custom homes vs self builds.

Custom Homes Vs Self Builds

What is a custom home?

Custom home developers are companies that help build a home for you. They supply a plot of land for you (you get to choose from multiple places owned by them), and then you get to choose the design, including the layout and other various features to fit your needs. Such companies typically have their own in-house architects and take charge of ordering materials and hiring contractors for you.

They take away much of the work while allowing you to customize your home. This is the big appeal of such homes – they take away the stress. Your home will likely get constructed more quickly than if you go the self-build route.

The level of customization with a custom build typically isn’t as great as a self-build as there may be templates a developer wants to stick to and a limited choice of materials.

What is a self-build?

A self-build is a home that you independently build. You are responsible for sourcing a plot of land, designing the house, and building it. You can still hire architects and contractors, but you’ll have to source these yourself. Consequently, self-builds involve a lot more responsibility and can be riskier as you don’t have a developer to guide you through the process.

The biggest perk is that you have almost limitless freedom as to how you build your home, providing it meets building code requirements. You can experiment with materials or play with much wackier designs. It also improves your choices when it comes to plots of land.

You also have the choice to reduce costs more by doing some of the labor yourself and taking your time with construction. Self-builds typically take longer to build but are generally cheaper.

Which one is right for you? Custom Homes Vs Self Builds

All in all, opting for a custom home or a self build comes down to the level of responsibility you want. A self build could be a better option if you want more control over the design and cost. A custom home is better if you want to relieve the responsibility of sourcing land, materials, and contractors.

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Decor For the Home Home

6 Easy Ways to Make Your Bedroom More Eco-Friendly

Are you interested in ensuring that your home is more eco-friendly? If so, consider the rooms where you use the most energy. There are many examples worth exploring, but one of the most significant is the bedroom. The bedroom can become a nightmare if you’re not careful about sustainability and energy saving. So, let’s explore some key improvements that can help make your bedroom more eco-friendly. 

How to Make Your Bedroom More Eco-Friendly

Think About The Windows 

First, you need to make sure that you are thinking about the windows in your bedroom. The windows can be the main reason your bedroom costs you a fortune. It will mean you have to push the thermostat to breaking point through the winter and have the air conditioning on full during the summer.

To avoid this, consider using energy efficient double hung windows in your bedroom. This situation will be enough to guarantee that you are keeping the heat outside your home through the summer months. Heat reflective blinds can help here too. 

Lighting Choices 

Next, you should consider lighting choices. Lighting can be another tremendous energy drain in your home. The good news is that it’s easy to switch to eco-friendly bulbs in your bedroom.

Of course, you can also go one step further and connect the lighting in your bedroom to a smart setup that controls the rest of the home. Using a smart setup is often going to be a DIY change. However, if you are worried about issues here, you can hire a contractor to complete the work for you instead. 

Cooling Solutions

Summers are getting hotter. So, ensure that your bedroom is eco-friendly by thinking about ways to keep your home cool. Immediately, you might turn your attention to a fan. However, even the most eco-friendly fans use a considerable amount of energy each night.

Think about how much energy it will take to power a fan in every bedroom in your home. Ultimately, this is never going to be a sustainable choice. Instead, consider an alternative such as a cooling mattress. An item like this has a layer designed to keep the body cool and ensure that heat is not trapped inside the bed while sleeping. It can be perfect for anyone who wakes up sweating in the middle of the night. 

Materials 

An essential part of your room is the materials you use on your bed. This aspect can include options such as your sheets, your duvet cover, the curtains, and more. Everything like this can come from sustainable materials.

You must ensure that you are sourcing options like this from the right supplier. It’s essential to check if they use the best sustainable practices when creating products like this before you purchase them for your bedroom.

Flooring to Make Your Bedroom More Eco-Friendly

Next, consider flooring options in your bedroom. If you’re worried about how hot your home will be through the summer – and you should – the right flooring can help. Some flooring, such as carpet, will keep heat trapped inside your room.

If you want to avoid this, consider an alternative such as laminate flooring. Considering an alternative will be better when working to keep your room cool. Think about hardwood flooring if you want a more expensive or luxurious option. However, you should choose recycled wood. Recycled wood will provide the same level of durability as new wood in the long term.

En-Suite 

Finally, you might have a bedroom with a built-in en-suite. This luxury option is a sought-after feature when people choose places to live. If your bedroom does have an en-suite, you should take steps to guarantee that this is green friendly too.

One of the ways that you can do this is by choosing a different faucet. This step will ensure that you use less water each time you have a soak in the morning. You may also want to consider similar features to the main bedroom, including lighting choices and window insulation.

Make Your Bedroom More Eco-Friendly

We hope this helps you understand some steps you can take to ensure that your bedroom is far more sustainable. In doing so, you can create a space that saves you energy. That’s just what you need to keep your costs under control and your property green-friendly.

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For the Home Home Real Estate

Upgrading Your Exterior? Here Are the 5 Best Bangs for Your Buck

It’s the first thing you see when you get home and what makes you feel most proud of what’s inside. Upgrading your exterior is more important than ever. It’s essential not just for curb appeal but for cosmetic changes that will last a long time. So what does it really take to give your home a facelift? Let’s show you a few things to consider.

Best Tips For Upgrading Your Exterior

The Front Door

Upgrading the front door is a simple thing that makes a massive difference to your home. Choosing high quality entry doors is not necessarily about making a big impact, but it’s about ensuring that your front door sticks to a uniform type, especially if there are many other homes on your street.

There are many modern doors that look more traditional. If you’re looking for something newer, yet with one foot in the past, there are plenty of choices available. If you live in a period property, you may want to look further and find a door that suits your style and period.

You could venture to reclamation yards and look online. There are ways to find front doors through websites like eBay if you are looking for something very particular.

Upgrading the Windows

The windows are the eyes of a property, so changing them can alter the personality of your home. Consider choosing the windows and doors that suit your overall property. If you have a period property, be careful not to outdo any authenticity your property exudes. But if you’re looking to upgrade to a more contemporary setup but lean towards a more period feel, you can opt for metal framed windows or Crittall-style window designs to create a statement look.

Upgrading Your Exterior Finishes

For many, the solution is simple: Paint the house using masonry paint in a neutral color. It helps to unify all the different materials of the property. If you want to go further, you can render the external walls and repaint them, especially if the original brickwork has damage.

There’s a variety of exterior finishes that might work for you. Fiber cement, timber, composite cladding, laminate cladding, PVCu cladding, and brick and tile are a few that you can pick from. Each material is charged per meter squared, so factor this into your overall household budget to see if you can afford the aesthetics that will upgrade the look and feel of the property.

Adding an Extension

You can consider different types of extensions for the front and back of your property. For example, rather than adding a single-story extension to the side or front, you may want to add something smaller. Consider something like a bay window or a porch.

You don’t have to consider completely expanding the back of your property. It can be expensive and take a lot of time to get right. A complete extension might be worthwhile if you plan to stay in the property forever. However, you also have to consider your lifestyle in the process and if it’s worth overhauling your life for up to 12 months or potentially longer.

Converting the Garage

One of the best ways to completely change the exterior of your property is to convert the garage. However, consider how the house will change during the renovation. When the garage is attached to the property, the joins between the old and the new components must be seamless.

You might want to hire an architect to ensure that everything is in proportion aesthetically and functionally. Switching up the garage to have a more functional home makes a significant difference to how the property feels. You may want functionality inside, but you must ensure you make the right move on this one. Weigh your options and consider if the advantages of this extra room are outweighed by having secure parking. 

Final Thoughts on Upgrading Your Exterior

If you are moving out or looking to change the property, the external upgrades will make a difference. We all know the importance of curb appeal, but you’ve got to dig down into the right components. When you follow these tips, it will make the biggest difference to your property.

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For the Home Home

3 Easy Ways to Develop A Unique Aesthetic For Your Exterior

There are many means by which you can develop a unique aesthetic for your home environment. With care and attention, standing out from your neighbors without drawing an overwhelming amount of attention to your property can be deftly balanced. Often, developing this unique aesthetic means figuring out what kind of home you’d be happy with. Outside of good taste, there are no essential ‘tests’ to pass here.

However, it’s also important to remember that you have limited space. You may only have a certain amount of front yard to work with to renew your home exterior. Making sure this fits with the sides and rear is also a beneficial approach.

How to Develop A Unique Aesthetic For Your Exterior

Excellent Siding

Great siding is an excellent tool to use when designing a property thoroughly. When you choose James Hardie siding for your home, the best quality materials and rich colors can be used. It’s also important to denote that your siding must fit in with the local area, paint, and color tone of other fixtures. In some cases, additional siding textures like faux-stone or brick slips can be used for the best result. It helps you add a more coherent visual format, protecting your property more than anticipated.

Path Type

The path type of your front garden can also define your home’s character, as it provides a sense of what materials you prefer. Large patio slabs, for instance, can add a clean but relatively utilitarian aesthetic. Wood chips can be harder to manage but also add a rustic feeling to your property. On top of that, bricks leading from the driveway can incorporate your overall urban aesthetic. More unique stepping stones add a creative and less stable-feeling touch.

Front Doors

A strong front door is always a good idea. With a proper design, you can make this a hallmark of your property. For instance, with the window design integrated into the door, you can decide just how much light to let in.

The front door’s security, texture, and particular adorned aesthetic will help you keep your design naturally unified. Front doors will help you cultivate the starting point of your frontal aesthetic.

Final Thoughts on A Unique Aesthetic For Your Exterior

These tips can help you create the best aesthetic for the exterior of your home. You spend so much time working on the inside, it’s time you get outside with your design style.

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Adulting For the Home Home

Make Your Home Safer This Year With These 3 Tips

If you don’t feel completely safe in your home, or you know that some changes and improvements could make it a lot safer, then it’s a good idea to make sure you are doing these as soon as possible. If you are not sure exactly what this might entail, then it’s a good idea to look at the following.

In this article, we are going to show you some of the best ways in which you can make your home a lot safer. You will find that all of the following are worth being aware of in that respect.

How to Make Your Home Safer

Fix Broken Roofing

If you have any broken areas on your roof, fix them as soon as possible. Having broken roofing makes it all too easy for people to get into the home. Plus, it leaves you exposed to the elements, which can be dangerous in their way.

Call the professionals as soon as you suspect there might be an issue with your roof. Look into the likes of Craftsman Exterior Remodeling, who will be able to make the appropriate suggestions for what your roof needs for improvement, and repair and replace it for you.

Install A Burglar Alarm

Many homes have burglar alarms, and with good reason, as they can act as one of the best deterrents against people considering getting into your home. If you want to make your home safer this year, consider installing a burglar alarm. You might be amazed at how much of a difference it can make. It should help make your home feel safer to be in.

Make Your Home Safer

Be Aware Of Electrical Safety Issues

One of the most common ways for people to get hurt in the home is through poor electrical safety Be aware of any potential issues you might have around this in your home so that you can fix it up wherever possible. You might have some electrical items you would prefer to do away with because they are not working correctly. Or, you need to teach your kids how to be safe around electronics. Make sure to do whatever it takes to avoid having trouble here.

Recap: Make Your Home Safer

Those are just some things to be aware of when wanting to make your home safer. You will find that these are important to think about right now. Do so as soon as possible to help keep you safe in your home.

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Adulting For the Home Home

Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home With These Easy Steps

We frequently neglect the exterior of our homes because we spend so much time organizing and thoroughly cleaning the interior. However, the exterior of your home is what everyone else sees and how we show ourselves to the outside world, even though we only briefly see it when we first enter the house. You’ll feel better if you improve the curb appeal, and others will view your home positively.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home

You can take steps to make sure your house looks as gorgeous on the outside as it does inside. Once you see the difference, you’ll be glad you did.

Check Your Front Door

Examine your front door first to check for any paint scuffs or dirt stains that need cleaning. If so, give it a thorough cleaning and add another coat of paint to make it look brand new. If there are windows on your door, you must clean them inside and outside.

Clean Your Windows

Keeping your windows clean can improve the curb appeal of your home. You can clean them yourself, but it’s quite the task. Hiring a window cleaner is beneficial if you have window issues because they can come by frequently and take care of the problem for you.

Improve the Entranceway

Make the entranceway appear warm and inviting. A welcome mat, some potted plants, and some outside accents can do this. To complement the aesthetic and the weather, you could even change them seasonally.

Check Your Screens and Shutters

Depending on your needs and circumstances, you can purchase extras for your windows and doors. For example, if you have a pest problem, you can look into fly screens for your doors and outside shutters for your windows. You can go one step further and replace them with a stunning picture-style window replacement.

Add Plants to Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home

If you don’t have a green thumb, you can search for plants that don’t need much maintenance on your lawn. Some plants can be planted directly in the ground and will take care of themselves. They will be safe from the elements and other problems since the rain will water and keep them healthy.

Easy-to-care-for plants don’t need constant maintenance and can look good all year long with little effort. Give some potted plants to your front yard if it doesn’t have grass and is more of a slab to add some color and green to your house. To add color to the street view of your home, get a pair of planters in a different shade.

First impressions count and can quickly put prospective buyers in a good mood when they start viewing and liking how everything appears from the outside. Curb appeal can boost the value of your house if you ever find yourself looking to sell. You can take care of it yourself, although winter can be challenging because of shorter days and severe weather. If you need assistance, you can always hire someone, and in the summertime, you can do it outside.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Costly

It doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming to spruce up the front of your house. Small trees in pots are a simple and effective method to liven up and spruce up your front door. Not only are they simple to maintain, but they also offer immediate and revitalizing greenery.

For beautiful symmetry, place them on either side of your entrance door. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plants; it’s simple to make something eye-catching using potted hydrangeas, banana trees, or palms. Alternatively, create a more rustic, country-style, and whimsical touch with climber plants. Choose from wisteria and jasmine can grow up the walls and around the front entrance.

Focus on Lighting

When you get home in the evenings, outdoor illumination such as a wall lantern or pendant lamp in the fisherman style will make your home feel more hospitable. Push solar-powered stick lights into flowerbeds or pots for a soothing glow after dark if you’re on a tight budget or want a quick repair.

Dark entrances don’t exactly exude warmth. If your front door currently has a sconce or hanging pendant, swap it out for something more interesting and modern.

To instantly make the area appear more bright and clean, clear away all cobwebs and other debris from the area around outdoor light fixtures. If you require more lighting, put some porch string lights or illuminate a walkway with solar-powered lanterns

Add a Canopy to Improve the Curb Appeal

Another great option is a canopy. In addition to offering a stylish covered entrance and framing the entryway to your home, a lovely canopy above the front door will enable rainfall to fall laterally and not directly onto the front doorstep.

Improve Your Floors

There are so many factors that you need to get right when you are trying to make the most of this, and it is important to think about how you can achieve this. Your floors play a great role in improving your home, and they are an essential way to improve curb appeal and add value to the property. This is something that plays a massive role in helping to add a layer of practicality to your home, as well as making it more appealing and great-looking going forward. 

If you are serious about improving your floors to add to the value of your property, there are so many things that you need to keep in mind when trying to make this work for you. Using screen recoat services to make your hardwood floors stand out as much as possible, and this is something that you have to work on as much as possible. Making your hardwood floors better can play a massive role in this process, and you need to try to make this work better for you.

Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home

The outside of your home is just as important as the inside. If you improve the curb appeal, you will pull up to a beautiful space every day. Plus, your guests will get a fantastic first impression.

How have you improved the curb appeal of your home? Leave a comment and let us know.

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Adulting Buying a Home Home Real Estate

Thinking Of Moving to a New House? Read This Before Making Any Decisions

If you on selling your home and moving to a new house, this guide will help you find your new home. It’ll also give you tips on what to do with your current one. Moving doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect, and it can go as smoothly as you want it to. Making lists will ensure there are no hiccups on the way. 

Read This Before Moving to a New House

Sell Your Current Home

If you are looking to move to a new home, it may be a case of selling your current property. You may be nervous about this prospect, but as long as you do it effectively, there is nothing to worry about.

Shop for the best realtor to help you sell your home, checking out previous reviews and testimonials. You don’t want a realtor who is not good at what they do. If you don’t choose a good one, it could result in your home being on the market for some time. If your property is in a desired neighborhood, it will sell quickly. 

Look For A New House

If you are moving to a new home, you will need to find a new place to live. If you need to wait for your current property to sell before buying a new one, that’s okay too. However, you may want to rent an apartment for a short time. There are some fantastic apartments around, and you might even end up finding one you want to buy while you’re looking for one to rent, so it could solve a lot of problems all at once. 

Waiting until your home sells and renting in the meantime is perfectly fine. But, it may mean moving again in the near distant future. Alternatively, you could stay in your property until it sells and buy a new home immediately after.

This option is one that many sellers opt for, but it can be a pain. The new owners will be waiting to move in while you find somewhere else to live.

Clean Your Property

Something else that you might consider before you sell your current home is cleaning it thoroughly. Cleaning it will save you a job when you move out.

Doing little things whenever they crop up is much easier than doing a great big job when you move. When cleaning your property, work top to bottom and ensure all the little corners and hard-to-reach places are clean.

There is always the option of hiring a cleaner for your home, giving you time to do other tasks. If you are leaving the furniture and selling it as a furnished home, you might want to use a company that offers upholstered furniture cleaning services. Hiring a reputable company will leave your furniture sparkling and ready for the next people to use it.

Utilize Storage Facilities

Finally, when selling your home, you might want to place some of your belongings in storage. Self-storage facilities are helpful when selling your home and moving to a new house, and you can use them as long as you need to.

You can declutter or pack unused items before potential buyers look around, placing these in storage will help. Plus, you can also unpack your new home at your own pace without boxes cluttering your space.

Recap on Things to Know Before Moving to a New House

Moving to a new house is an exciting time in your life. It can be stressful, but these tips will help make it easier.

Do you have any other suggestions for us to use before moving? If so, leave a comment and let us know. 🙂

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Life

Ways you Can Take Stress out of Your Home Move

Moving to a new home is up there among one of the most stressful life events. If you have lived in your current home for a long time, then there will be many items along with a lot of memories. It can be hard to let go. However, things do not have to be as stressful as some people make it. You can take the stress out of your move with the right preparation.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

How to Take Stress out of Your Home Move

The Moving Company

Booking a moving company as early as possible is a great way to reduce stress. For starters, booking early means you’re far more likely to move on a day of your choosing, such as a weekend. You are also more likely to get a moving company you want at a reasonable price.

If you start the process early, you can do a little research, read reviews, and even get referrals from friends and family. It’s best to call a few companies to talk with them about your move and get pricing quotes before deciding.

Declutter

Decluttering is an essential step, especially if you have lived in your current home for a long time. You will have accumulated a lot of stuff that needs to go in the trash or donation bin. Plan ahead and make sure that your items go to good use by finding a place where you can Donate Clothes and other belongings so that those in need receive them. It is a great way to get rid of your unwanted things and also make a difference in someone else’s life. You’ll be glad to know that another person can use your clothing and feel less stressed that you’ll have less stuff to move. The good thing about moving is that it offers you a new start, so don’t cling to things that have no value.

Get rid of as much as possible. If you are downsizing and unsure which furniture to take and which to get rid of, it may be best to use a storage facility. Take a look at these storage tips to help you in this process. Only keep what you need and love.

Checklist

Moving requires a lot of preparation, and if you do not have a handle on all of these things, it can be easy to lose track. So, think about everything that needs to be done and create a list. Include informing the utility companies and any maintenance you may need to do. If you need help developing this list, look online at a few moving checklists and download one that is most relevant to you. 

Get Packing 

The best course of action is to start this process as early as possible. Packing and decluttering can work hand-in-hand. Get yourself some sturdy moving boxes and begin with all the non-essential items, things that you can live without for a few weeks. Then as the time gets closer, start packing some of the more essential items.

Remember to get some decent protective bubble wrap or an alternative for all your delicate items. If you start packing early enough, you can ensure that everything stays safe and is protected adequately. Also, make sure to label fragile boxes so that your moving company knows the contents.  

Ways you Can Take Stress out of Your Home Move

Moving can be stressful, but there are easy ways to take the stress out of your home move. If you have an upcoming move, work your way down this list to make the process easier.

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For the Home Home

6 Signs of Rats Infestation in Your Home to Never Ignore

Every year, rats take over an estimated 2 million homes in America. An infestation in your home is a horrifying sight. It’s not always easy to maintain a rat-free home, especially in urban areas. However, every homeowner should know how to recognize the signs of infestation in their home. If there are rats in your home, you can take steps to prevent them from taking over your household. 

Warning Signs of a Rodent Infestation in Your Home 

Rats are small, brown, furry rodents that can cause a lot of damage to your home. Many signs indicate rats are in your house, and you only have to know what to look for.

If you are looking for ways of rat removal, here are six signs of rodent infestation in your home: 

1. You see Droppings 

The first and most obvious sign of a rat infestation is the presence of rodent droppings. You’ll see droppings in different places throughout your home. For example, they might be in corners, behind furniture, or in cupboards. They also tend to be quite large and can be easily identified as rat feces rather than those of a mouse.  

2. You Notice Gnaw Marks 

Another sign of rat infestation is gnawing marks on wood and other materials. Rats like to chew on wood, plastic, and even electrical wires because it helps them keep their teeth in good shape. They also gnaw to mark their territory and leave behind an odor that other rats will recognize when they pass by the area. Rats can chew through almost anything, including walls, floorboards, and even plumbing pipes. 

3. You see Evidence of Rat Burrowing 

Rats may burrow into your home if they have access to food nearby or feel threatened by humans or other animals in the area. If you see holes in your walls or see dirt or droppings around your home, this could be a sign of burrowing activity by rats. Burrows are usually large enough for one rat to pass through at a time, but larger burrows can sometimes be used by several rats if there is enough space. 

4. You Smell a Foul Odor 

If there is a foul smell coming from your house or business premises, it could be a sign that there are rats present. A rat’s urine has a strong odor, especially when it has been on surfaces for some time. Rats urinate often, so if you notice an offensive smell in your home, rats may have infested it. 

5. Tampered Food Packaging Indicates an Infestation in Your Home

Rats love to eat, and they will go to great lengths to get ahold of some food. Rats know they will have to find ways of getting food from you. When rats have access to food, they often tamper with the packaging to get at the contents inside. This situation includes bags of chips and other snacks that people might leave out on their counters or tables. 

6. You Hear Scratching Noises 

Rats make scratching noises on hard surfaces to mark their territory and keep other rats away from their food sources. They also scratch their bodies against surfaces to relieve itching caused by their fur rubbing against each other or their skin. If you hear scratching noises at night, it could be rats in the attic or walls.

In Conclusion: Infestation in Your Home

Rats and mice like to live in places where food is available. So, if you want to ensure that rats aren’t dwelling in your home, you should store your food correctly. Also, it would be a good idea to check frequently for any traces of rats in your home. If you’re unsure how to do it, it might be better to contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible.