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We are Greenwich Wildlife, and we solve conflicts between people and wild animals. From squirrels in your attic, to raccoons in your trash, to bats, rats, birds, and snakes, we do it all. We specialize in safe and effective solutions to Connecticut critter problems. We service the greater Greenwich region, and we offer fast service - we can usually schedule a same-day appointment. Give us a call at 203-987-3450 any time, 24/7, and we will discuss your unique wild animal problem, and give you a free price quote over the phone. We're ready to take your call now!

Our service range: We service Litchfield County, New Haven County, Westchester County, Putnam County, Dutchess County, Nassua County, Suffolk County, and more. We also service Fairfield, Westport, Darien, Wilton, Monroe, Redding, Stamford, New Canaan, Shelton, Weston, Brookfield, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Stratford, New Fairfield, Easton, and more.

Greenwich Wildlife Education: Do Rodents Enter A Building Through The Plumbing?

You have probably heard rumors that rodents can enter your home or other building through the plumbing. If you have an infestation or want to prevent a future one, you need to figure out whether or not this is the truth. Unfortunately, yes, rodents can enter buildings through the plumbing. Whether or not the plumbing can be actively used, however, will depend on the type of rodent.



Mice And Plumbing
In terms of getting inside your home, mice don’t pose as big of a problem as rats do since they aren’t great swimmers. Despite that, if you have an empty pipe or piece of plumbing somewhere in your home, mice can easily use this as an entrance. These rodents are very small to begin with and can fit through holes much smaller than you would think possible. In practicality, that means that any pipe with an exposed entrance outside your home can serve as an entry way into your house. Mice have also been known to create nests in unused plumbing.

Rats And Plumbing
While mice can enter plumbing, rats are even worse. That is because rats are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for several minutes. In practice, this means that a rat can find its way from your pipes through the drains and all the way into your toilet. Unfortunately for us, the design of modern toilets gives enough space for rats to fit through the various curves and bends and they can easily hold their breath for the time it takes to go between the sewer or other drain and your toilet bowl. In other words, rats can enter a building through the plumbing whether or not it is filled with water, unlike mice, who will only do so if there isn’t water in the pipes.

What To Do
Now that you know just how easily rodents can enter your plumbing, you are ready to take action. You can prevent them from getting inside by making sure that the ends of all plumbing systems and pipes have mesh or grates over them. As long as the gaps between the mesh are small enough, rodents won’t be able to fit through. You should check plumbing that is currently in use as well as any systems that aren’t in use. If you don’t know where to look, consult a wildlife expert with experience keeping rodents out of plumbing. They should be able to provide good suggestions and check that your plumbing is set up to prevent rodents.

Previous Education Articles
How to keep Greenwich skunks out of my garbage cans
Will a high pitch sound deterrent machine work against Greenwich opossums?
How Greenwich rats communicate using pheromones
Is wild Greenwich animal feces dangerous to touch or breath?