Can Rats Climb Up Drain Pipes?

Yes, rats can climb up drain pipes when the conditions are right. That means cracked or poorly sealed pipes, as well as their ability to make it through U-bends and ventilation gaps.

Whether you’re a homeowner or a business owner, the risks posed by rats are well-known: they cause damage, they’re bad for health and hygiene, and they can quickly create an infestation. All of this can often be traced back to drains and drainage systems.

With this in mind, this month we’re going to cover everything you need to know. From how they use your drain pipes and what to look out for, to statistics and advice on how you can prevent an infestation. At Express Drainage Surveys, we’re experts in helping you to preserve your drains, so let us share our knowledge with you.

What makes drain pipes climbable for rats?

Let’s start by looking at what makes your drain pipes climbable for rats in the first place. It should be noted that rats are pretty clever and quite athletic, possessing exactly what they need to utilise your drain pipes as a point of entry.

Rats are great at climbing, swimming and squeezing through gaps, but there are also certain conditions within drain pipes that facilitate their ease of access:

The presence of moisture or water inside a pipe
Pipes with some form of surface grip, creating a rough wall or cracks to cling to
Gaps and broken seals make it easy to get inside

Any slopes in the design of your system make the climb even more of a doddle for rats, but it’s really the external access that grants them that opportunity. From broken gully gratings to open inspection chambers, rats will figure out the maze and use it to their advantage.

Typical entry routes and vulnerable drainage features

How exactly do rats get into drain pipes? Through vulnerable drainage infrastructure, which can mean:

Any soil or waste pipes that are exposed and open; these can also be climbed externally
Via discharge stacks carrying water from your sinks, showers and toilets
Using U-bends and toilet traps to enter through the sewer
Through exposed or damaged inspection chambers and manholes
Where old materials and joints in pipes have worn, creating gaps

Evidence and statistics: the data on rats

While data and statistics might seem like an attempt to spook you, they’re not just made up. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) estimates that 80% of infestations found in homes are, in some way, due to your drainage.

When you combine that statistic with the fact that UK rat populations go into the millions, it seems almost inevitable that you’ll be somewhere near a rat. This is partially why people say you’re never more than 6 feet from a rat – and while this isn’t wholly true, you can understand why it’s important to look after your drains!

Signs of rats climbing up drain pipes

Part of keeping rats at bay is vigilance. Here are some of the key signs that you have rats climbing up your drain pipes:

Audible signs: such as scratching or squeaking around your ceilings, pipes or drain entrances
Visible signs: such as droppings around manholes, gnaw marks on pipes and covers or grease marks along pipes
Olfactory signs: smells such as urine or faeces
Blockages: drains that don’t flow could indicate rats nesting or moving through your system

More telling than these signs, however, is actually spotting a rat emerging from a drain pipe or appearing in a toilet bowl. If you should see rats inside your property, always consult pest control experts to deal with the issue; never approach rodents yourself.

Inspection and survey methods to detect rats

So, is there light at the end of the tunnel? The answer is yes, with inspection and survey options to help you find it and locate the cracks, damage and entry points in your system.

At Express Drainage Surveys, we can even help find evidence of rats using our specialist CCTV drain survey equipment. We’ll also inspect the external pipework for signs of rats, and we can collaborate with pest control experts to further verify the presence or full extent of rat infestations.

Using our footage, we can then recommend any further action to help remedy any broken joints, misaligned or loose inspection covers and manholes. If we feel it’s necessary, we can even implement rat drain blockers to keep rats out of your system while keeping water flowing.

Preventative and remedial measures

Our full range of preventative and remedial measures should help put your mind at ease when it comes to rats and your drain pipes:

We can seal and repair weak points in drains or rectify misaligned covers
We can install one-way valves to block rats attempting to use your sewers
We can recommend upgraded materials when replacing pipes
We can provide regular maintenance to clear roots, clean pipes and avoid blockages

Should you be unfortunate enough to find rats in the drains at your property, one thing you may be wondering is: who is responsible for dealing with them? Handily, we’ve already covered this topic for you in our previous post ‘Who Is Responsible For Rats In Drains?’.

What homeowners and business owners should do:

To help keep your property free of rats, we recommend a routine inspection schedule. While you can be vigilant yourself, we can help with annual CCTV drain surveys or rat detection surveys.

You should always weigh up the cost of investing in prevention with the cost of dealing with a full infestation. One is much smaller and helps to mitigate risk, especially if you operate a business where your reputation could be damaged if rats are found at your premises.

We offer a range of services, from surveys and diagnostics to repairs and cleaning. You can check out more details on what we provide through the following pages on our website:

Contact us today and speak to our professional team about any drainage issues you think you might have related to rats, and we’ll be on hand to assist you with state-of-the-art equipment and decades of knowledge.