Blocking laterals

Every year, rats cause material damage to pipe systems of an amount that can run into millions of DKK. Furthermore, rats are dangerous disease carriers that can cause food poisoning and transmission of dangerous illnesses if the worst comes to the worst. Unlike mice, rats need plenty of water, and they get that from sewers. Rats live in dugouts underground and use sewers and sewer installations as both larder and transport route.

Rats typically get access to public sewerages and private sewer installations through leaks. As an example, they dig holes in the earth outside a pipe or invade laterals that are no longer used. With their chisel-like teeth, rats are able to gnaw holes in concrete and big rats can get access to a hole of 25 mm. 90 % of the rats are found in pipes on private properties. Actually there is every indication that rats are moving from municipal sewerages and out into the private sewers in which living conditions are better.

The rat problem will not decrease in the future in which climate changes with mild winters and an increased amount of precipitation play an unfortunate role as flooded sewers force rats up into pipes and laterals.

Tight and well-functioning pipes are the best remedy against rats. Good, tight sewers and installations, in which unused laterals are blocked properly, cause particularly bad life conditions to rats.

Over the years, Aarsleff CIPP Lining has proved to be an absolutely suitable method for rat extermination as it is both tight and robust. Furthermore, intensive development work has resulted in the development of a new method for blocking laterals from the main pipe without excavation. Thus, we are very well prepared for the future increased effort against rats.