Rat Control

Safe, Effective Rat Solutions for Your Home

Hearing scratching in the walls at night, finding droppings in the pantry, or suddenly seeing a rat dart across the room can make your home feel anything but comfortable. When that happens, you want clear answers and a reliable solution—not guesswork. At Family Pest Control, we provide professional rat control in San Antonio so you can feel confident that a trained, local team is addressing the problem carefully and thoroughly.

For more than 42 years, our family-owned company has helped San Antonio homeowners resolve rodent problems safely and effectively. As a licensed provider through the Texas Structural Pest Control Service, our certified entomologists design treatment plans that fit each home and household. Our goal is simple: restore your peace of mind with solutions that work while remaining mindful of children, pets, and daily routines.

Why Families Trust Our Team With Rat Problems

Inviting a pest control company into your home means trusting them with your safety, belongings, and time. That trust is something we take seriously. As a local, family-, veteran-, and woman-owned business, Family Pest Control approaches every rat control service as if we were working in our own homes.

Our team is fully licensed and trained, with certifications backed by decades of experience. We combine technical knowledge—such as rat behavior, nesting habits, and movement patterns—with a practical understanding of San Antonio homes. From older neighborhoods to newer developments, we know how rats access properties and why certain areas experience repeated activity.

Safety and transparency guide everything we do. We use EPA-approved products, explain each step of the process clearly, and stand behind our work with a satisfaction guarantee. Families continue to choose us not only because we solve the problem, but because we communicate honestly and treat their homes with respect.

How Our Rat Control Process Works

Understanding what to expect can make a stressful situation feel manageable. Our rat control process in San Antonio follows a clear, structured approach designed to identify the root cause and prevent recurrence.

Thorough Inspection & Assessment

Every service begins with a detailed inspection. Our technicians look for signs of rat activity such as droppings, gnaw marks, grease trails, nesting materials, and entry points into attics, crawlspaces, garages, and living areas. We also discuss what you’ve seen or heard so nothing is overlooked.

Customized Treatment Plan

Based on our findings, we design a customized plan that may include trapping strategies, targeted product use, and recommendations for sealing access points. Each plan is tailored to your home’s layout, level of infestation, and household needs—never a one-size-fits-all approach.

Ongoing Monitoring & Follow Up

Rat activity can change as populations shift. We schedule follow-up visits when needed to monitor progress, adjust placements, and confirm that activity has stopped. Throughout the process, we keep you informed so you always know what’s happening and why.

Protection for Children, Pets & Your Property

For many homeowners, the biggest concern isn’t just removing rats—it’s making sure the solution is safe. At Family Pest Control, safety is always the priority.

We use carefully selected, EPA-approved products and place materials strategically to limit exposure to children and pets. Physical controls, such as secured traps and exclusion methods, are often key parts of the solution. Our technicians also take time to explain any short-term precautions and answer questions before, during, and after service.

Rats can contaminate food, damage wiring, and affect indoor air quality. By addressing infestations quickly and correctly, professional rat control in San Antonio helps reduce long-term property damage and health risks for your household.

Signs You May Have Rats in Your Home

Some rat infestations are obvious, while others begin with subtle clues. Common warning signs include:

• Scratching or scurrying noises in walls or ceilings, especially at night
• Droppings in pantries, cabinets, garages, or along baseboards
• Gnaw marks on food packaging, wood, or plastic
• Grease rub marks along walls or pipes
• Shredded paper, insulation, or fabric used for nesting

If you notice one or more of these signs, acting early can prevent a small issue from becoming a larger infestation.

Common Signs of Rat Activity

Common signs include small, dark droppings along baseboards, in pantries, or in cabinets, as well as gnaw marks on food packaging, wood, or plastic. Many people report scratching or scurrying sounds in ceilings or walls, especially at night when the house is quiet. You might also notice greasy rub marks where rats regularly travel along walls or pipes, or find shredded materials like insulation, paper, or fabric used to build nests in secluded areas.

When to Call for Professional Help

If you see any of these signs, especially in more than one area, it can be a signal that rats are active on a regular basis. Because rats breed quickly, a small issue can grow into a larger infestation in a short time. You can try simple steps such as securing food in sealed containers and cleaning up accessible crumbs, but professional support is often needed to fully address nesting sites and hidden routes. Our team can inspect your home, confirm what is happening, and recommend a targeted plan to address what we find.

Local Knowledge That Makes a Difference

San Antonio’s climate, greenbelts, drainage areas, and older construction styles can all contribute to rat activity. Homes near overgrown vegetation, utility lines, or water sources often see increased rodent pressure.

Our long-standing presence in the area gives us insight into how rats move through neighborhoods and where they’re most likely to enter homes. This local expertise allows us to focus inspections efficiently and recommend realistic prevention steps tailored to your property—not generic advice.

Our Commitment to Local Homes & Neighborhoods

Homes here face a mix of conditions that can make rats an ongoing issue in some neighborhoods. Warm weather for much of the year, nearby greenbelts or drainage areas, and older construction with worn seals or gaps can all give rodents more opportunities to enter. After more than 42 years working in San Antonio, we understand how these factors come together in real homes, from older bungalows to newer subdivisions.

Our experience in this area has shown us that attics, garages, and outdoor storage structures are common starting points for rat activity. We also see patterns in how rats use fences, utility lines, and overgrown vegetation to move between properties. Because we have worked in many local neighborhoods, we arrive with a practical sense of where to look first and how to adapt our approach to different types of homes.

At the same time, we know that every household has its own routine, budget, and tolerance for disruption. We aim to provide economical solutions that respect those realities while still focusing on long term prevention. When you choose a team that has grown with the community and is family, veteran, and woman owned, you are working with people who have a personal reason to protect the place they call home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if the noises in my attic are rats?

Rats often make scratching, scurrying, or light thumping noises, especially at night when they are most active. If you regularly hear movement above ceilings or inside walls and it seems to follow the same paths, that can be a sign of rodent activity. You might also notice other clues nearby such as droppings, gnaw marks, or shredded nesting material in the attic, garage, or storage areas. Other animals can make similar sounds, so the most reliable way to know is to have a trained technician inspect your home. During an inspection, we look for multiple types of evidence so we can tell you clearly whether rats are present and where they are most active.

Are your rat treatments safe for my kids and pets?

Our rat treatments are designed with families and pets in mind, and safety is always at the center of our planning. We use EPA approved products and combine them with placement and methods that aim to limit access for children and animals. Before we start, we ask about who lives in your home, including small children, older adults, and pets, so we can adapt our recommendations. Because many of our team members are also parents and pet owners, we think carefully about play areas, sleeping spaces, and where food and water bowls are kept. During service, we explain what we are using and where, and we let you know if there are any short term precautions we recommend.

How long does it usually take to get rats under control?

The time it takes to bring a rat problem under control depends on how large the infestation is, how long it has been active, and how easily we can access nesting sites and entry points. Many situations start to improve once a structured plan is in place, and our goal is to achieve strong results often within one or two treatment cycles. In more complex cases, especially where there are multiple buildings or extensive entry points, the process may take longer and involve additional follow up. During our initial visit, we discuss what we see and give you a realistic idea of what to expect. Throughout the process, we stay in touch about progress so you are never left wondering what is happening.

Will I need to leave my home during rat treatment?

Most of the time, our clients are able to stay in their homes while we carry out work. Many steps, such as inspection, trapping, and sealing entry points, can be done with you present and going about your routine. In some cases, we may ask you to keep children and pets out of specific rooms or areas for a short period while products are applied or while equipment is in use. If there is any part of the process that would be easier or safer with reduced activity in a certain area, we explain that clearly ahead of time. Our goal is to address the rat problem while keeping disruption to your daily life as small as we reasonably can.

What can I do to help prevent rats from coming back?

You can help reduce the chances of future rat problems by limiting food, water, and shelter that attract them. This includes storing pantry items in sealed containers, cleaning up crumbs and spills promptly, and keeping pet food in secure bins rather than open bags. Outside, trimming back heavy vegetation near walls, checking for gaps around doors and vents, and keeping stored items off the ground can make your property less appealing to rodents. During our visits, we point out specific conditions we see in and around your home and suggest practical changes that fit your situation. By combining your efforts with a professional plan, you work toward long term protection rather than just a temporary fix.

How much does professional rat control typically cost?

The cost of professional help varies because every property and infestation is different. Factors such as the size of your home, the number of affected areas, and how complex the access and entry points are all affect the amount of work involved. At Family Pest Control, we perform an inspection first so we can understand what is happening and then recommend options that are both effective and economical. We discuss those options with you before any work begins, so you know what to expect and can make an informed decision. Our goal is to provide solid value by focusing on solutions that aim to address the current problem and help limit future issues.

What makes your team different from other pest control companies?

Many homeowners choose us because of our long history, strong credentials, and personal approach to service. Family Pest Control has been helping families with pest problems in San Antonio for over 42 years, and we are family, veteran, and woman owned. Our team is licensed and trained by the Texas Structural Pest Control Service, and our certified entomologists design and guide treatment options grounded in science. We use EPA approved products and tailor our plans to each home, always keeping the safety of your family and pets in mind. Over the years, we have earned industry certifications and recognition, including the Angie’s List Super Service Award, and many clients stay with us for decades because they value that combination of knowledge, care, and consistency.

Take the Next Step Toward a Rat Free Home

Rats can make even familiar spaces feel uncomfortable—but you don’t have to handle the problem alone. With a clear process, proven experience, and a focus on safety, Family Pest Control is here to help San Antonio families regain control of their homes.

When you contact us, you get a team that understands local conditions, values long term relationships, and stands behind our work with a satisfaction commitment. Whether you have just started to notice signs of activity or you are dealing with an ongoing issue, we are here to provide clear guidance and practical service options. Taking that first step can bring relief and put you back in control of your home.

To talk with our team or schedule a visit, call (210) 762-6991 today.