Understanding how pests enter your home
Pest prevention starts with a precise knowledge of their infiltration routes. In Algeria, older residential buildings in Algiers and Oran often have structural flaws that facilitate the entry of rodents and insects. Identifying and sealing these entry points is the most effective — and least expensive — preventive measure.
Main rodent entry points
Rats and mice can enter through surprisingly small openings:
- Cracks in walls and foundations: a mouse passes through a 6mm hole, a rat through 20mm
- Pipe passages: joints around pipes passing through walls are often poorly sealed
- Sewer network: defective or absent floor siphons allow rats direct access
- Gaps under doors: a gap larger than 6mm under a door is enough for an adult mouse
- Roofs and attics: black rats climb facades and enter through displaced tiles or ventilation
- Electrical and gas entries: unsealed perforations provide direct access routes
Insect entry points
- Cockroaches: drain pipes, shopping bags, cardboard boxes, second-hand furniture
- Mosquitoes: windows and doors without screens, especially near wetland areas
- Ants: cracks in tile joints, electrical cable passages
- Flies: unscreened ventilation, bin lids in poor condition
How to seal entry points
- Steel wool plugging around pipes: rodents cannot gnaw through it
- Polyurethane expanding sealant with metal particles for wall cracks
- Stainless steel rodent guards on all ventilation grilles
- Stainless steel door sweeps on all exterior doors
- Floor siphons kept water-filled and equipped with non-return valves
- Insect screens on all windows and French doors
Signs of an ongoing infestation
Even with preventive measures, an infestation may already be present. Watch out for:
- Rodent droppings along walls, in cupboards or under the sink
- Scratching noises in partition walls, false ceilings or attics at night
- Gnaw marks on electrical cables, bags, woodwork
- Cockroaches in damp areas (kitchen, bathroom) especially at night
- Characteristic ammonia odor of rodents
If you observe any of these signs, professional intervention is needed without delay. R3D carries out a free, no-obligation field diagnosis in Algiers and Oran to assess the situation and propose an adapted protocol.