This is why experts at MyBuilder.com have shared ways to prevent unwanted pests like rats and snakes making their way into your home via the toilet.
If you want to prevent rats and snakes from getting up into your toilet, there’s one item that help solve the issue.
How to keep rats and snakes out of your toilet
The experts say that pests such as rats are easily able to swim up pipes into your toilet, if your system is not fitted with a “non-return” valve.
Rats can easily find their way through toilets (Image: Getty)
The valve is around £200 to buy and can easily be fitted by a professional to both older clay pipes and more modern plastic ones as long as there is access to pipes inside the manhole. It works by closing the pipe with a flap once waste has passed through it, ensuring nothing else can travel through the pipes.
Drain grates can also be useful in preventing rodents accessing your pipes. Older homes, particularly Victorian age and older are most likely to not have a non-return valve fitted, making them most susceptible to problems.
This product should also stop creatures such as snakes finding their way into your toilet bowl.
While this is a rare scenario, the experts say it is possible because in 2023 a woman in Solihull was shocked to find an unknown species of snake in her toilet bowl.
Rats using pipework to gain access to your home via a toilet isn’t unusual. In fact, the experts said the renowned publication National Geographic shared a video showing exactly how easily rats can gain access to your toilet.
If you’re suffering with rodents in your house and aren’t able to find out how they’re getting in, it’s worth checking the toilets.
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However, in order for any creature to be able to get into your toilet, they have to be able to access your plumbing in the first place which is where a non-return valve will come in handy.
Mike Flook, plumbing expert from MyBuilder.com, said that this piece of equipment is easy for any plumber to install and will give you peace of mind.
He said: “No one wants to find a rat in their toilet – and while not common, it’s unfortunately a scenario that can happen. Thankfully, it can be easily prevented.
“A non return valve locks vermin out of your home and prevents them from using your pipes as access to get in. It will also stop any snakes, frogs, and other creepy creatures gaining access the same way. Installing one is a simple job and should cost no more than £200 to do.”
Creatures and pests that could come up into your toilet in the UK
Rats
Rats are abundant in sewers and they’re good swimmers who can quite easily find their way into your toilet bowl in the absence of a non-return valve.
They have flexible ribcages and are very athletic, able to climb rapidly and contort themselves into small spaces.
They can also hold their breath for up to three minutes and are experts at finding air pockets in the U bends.
If that wasn’t enough, rats also have the strength to lift a closed toilet lid so closing your lid won’t stop these uninvited guests entering your home.
Native wild animals in the UK
Snakes
While native snakes aren’t a problem, there are snakes in the sewers which are often escaped or abandoned pets.
It’s highly unlikely that a snake will find its way into your toilet but it has happened and it’s not at all uncommon in some countries.
Snakes are attracted to wherever prey goes with rats being an obvious one and so can end up following them up toilets.
They can also be attracted when they’re thirsty so summer months are more of a risk when water is harder to find.
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Frogs
Frogspawn can be laid in the sewers and recently (2020) the UK experienced a mass frog invasion in toilets of a Derbyshire town as a result, the experts explain.
Frogs are amphibious so can navigate the pipes easily and while they’re not harmful, they aren’t exactly desirable bathroom guests.
Spiders
While we don’t have many poisonous spiders in the UK, a spider in the toilet bowl is still a nasty shock for the arachnophobes among us.
A non-return valve won’t stop spiders as they are small enough to get through but cleaning your bowl with a citrus product may do the trick.