It may seem like you're encouraging the problem but setting out a bowl of water will keep rodents from chewing on water lines to hydrate allowing you time to do preventive maintenance. Keeping the outside of your home clean and tidy removes potential hiding places for rodents around the house, garage, and yard.
Install rodent-proof barriers around your pipes. This could include metal guards, plastic mesh, or even chicken wire. Use aluminum-lined PEX pipe. This type of pipe is more resistant to rodent damage than regular PEX. Seal any cracks or holes in your walls or foundation that could allow rodents to enter your home.
There's a duct tape type product designed to stop mice chewing things, you could try wrapping your pipes in that? If you don't want to put it directly on the pipes, you could wrap them in foam insulation first.
Use copper mesh to fill in around the pipe. It is marketed to keep rodents and birds from wiggling in. Home Depot carries rolls of the stuff.
Install Screens or Grates: Cover the tops of drain pipes with fine mesh screens or grates to prevent rats from entering. Use Smooth Materials: If possible, line the pipes with smooth materials that are difficult for rats to grip.
Clean Drains
Rats are attracted to food scraps and debris in drains. Regularly clean your drains to remove these attractants. Use a mixture of hot water, bleach, and detergent to thoroughly clean the pipes. This not only removes food sources but also eliminates the odours that attract rats.
Applying a protective coating such as a UV-resistant paint or an opaque covering such as specialized plastic wrap can help shield the pipe from the negative impacts of direct sunlight. These coatings act as a barrier, preventing UV radiation from reaching and deteriorating the pipe surface.
Install a 12-inch-square piece of aluminum flashing or galvanized metal around conduit pipe to prevent rodents from climbing. Caulk gap around pipe if opening is larger than ¼ inch.
Seal any holes you find to stop rodents from entering. Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place or use spray foam. Use lath screen or metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to fix larger holes.
With a life span that's 20 to 30 years longer than PEX pipe, copper is the clear winner. Properly maintained copper pipes can be expected to last 50 to 70 years. PEX pipes that are properly maintained generally last for 25 to 50 years.
There are two ways rats can use this connection – the first is by climbing straight up the pipe and it doesn't matter what material the pipes made of, we see rats exiting through toilet bowls all the time – now you know why your mum told you to put the lid down when you've finished!
Hard Metals – Since rats can't chew through hard metals like steel, it's one of the reasons it's recommended that holes be filled with wire mesh and steel wool and then filled with caulking. Metal tiling is also a great way to prevent them from getting into your home from the floor.
You can block the sewer rats from entering the sewer and swimming towards the toilet with a device known as a non-return valve or, rat blocker, which is a stainless steel flap that attaches to the sewer drain (flush your toilet to see which pipe takes the waste out).
As they're dying, they will go to extreme lengths to find a water source and the mice or rats will quickly chew even through metal water pipes to get to water, not to mention plastic pipes. By giving them an easy water source, you'll significantly reduce chances of damage as the poison takes time to work.
Peppermint. Prepare to turn your rat problem into a minty-fresh solution! Rats may have a perceptive sense of smell, but they can't stand the refreshing scent of peppermint. This natural and aromatic repellent works wonders in deterring these unwanted pests.
Peppermint oil — Essential plant oils like peppermint, rosemary, citronella, sage and lavender have strong botanical scents that rats dislike. One customer successfully repelled a rat by stuffing a peppermint oil soaked tissue into the rat hole chewed into the wall. The rat appeared to never come back.
Silicone sealant: Silicone sealant is a versatile sealant that can be used on a variety of surfaces, including glass, metal, and plastic. It's ideal for sealing leaks in pipes, as well as around windows and doors.
Protect faucets, outdoor pipes, and pipes in unheated areas with pipe insulation. If insulation is not an option, consider wrapping them with rags, newspapers, trash bags, plastic foam, or bubble wrap. Cover vents around your home's foundation so drafts can't sneak in.
Vinegar works by masking smells and oils which will deter mice and rats from entering an area or chewing on any material. However, it needs to be used with other methods since vinegar by itself will not keep rodents away from your home.