Rats are rodents, so they must chew. They create holes that invite other pest animals, like mice, or the elements, like rain, into your home. Rats cause fires by chewing electrical wires. Rats turn your home into a toilet, pooping as many as 60 times per day per rat. The waste stinks and is a significant health risk. Rats contaminate and compress insulation, creating a health hazard and reducing insulating effectiveness. Rats carry pathogens and parasites that bring illness and disease to humans and pets. Rats eat food in homes and crops in gardens and fields. They gnaw through containers and contaminate food stores. Rats tunnel and burrow, undermining concrete foundations and slabs. Rats can and do damage any part of a building or its contents. Nothing is safe from rats.