How Fast Can Rats Break Through Walls?

Rats are not only nuisance pests, but they can also cause considerable damage to homes. Their chewing can cause weakened material to buckle or even crumble. If rats have multiple chewing partners, the material can be weakened even faster. Rats can chew through a wide variety of materials, including wood, plastic, and metal.

A single rat can chew through a thin wall in two hours or a thick wall within two to two weeks. They can also chew through wiring, foam insulation, pipes, and electrical conduits. If they don’t manage to chew through the wall material, they can enter the house through these openings.

Rats can also chew through drywall, sheetrock, plastic, and plaster. However, concrete walls can be more difficult to chew through. It may take a few days to chew through a thicker wooden wall. To get rid of a rat infestation in your home, you can take preventative measures. You can employ traps or call professional wildlife technicians to inspect your walls.

Rats and mice prefer warm surroundings. They can squeeze into gaps as small as 1/2 inch. They will chew on the smallest holes until they get large enough to pass through.