Rodents, such as mice and rats, are one of the most common and difficult-to-control pests. When there is a presence of rodents in your home, it can create serious problems like damaging your property and causing serious health concerns.
Rodents can be found in almost everything—from homes with leaky pipes and faulty electrical systems to contaminated food and water. Sometimes, it’s difficult to spot a rodent infestation until the problem becomes too severe. These critters tend to spread widely and can cause havoc across many parts of your property.
The following are common signs that there are rats or mice on your property:
● Rodent droppings under the sink, inside drawers or cupboards, and in every nook and cranny of your home
● Chewing on food packaging
● Inconspicuous holes through walls and floors that can provide entry to your home
● Stale odors from hidden corners of the property
● Nesting materials like dried plants, fabric, and shredded paper
Diseases From Rodents
Rodents can cause serious health issues, which is why as much as possible, you should prevent them from going near your property. Here are the common diseases spread by rats and mice:
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
- Leptospirosis
- Salmonellosis
- Typhoid
- Pox or Rickettsial infections
As a property owner, it’s important to learn how to determine if there is an issue of rodent infestation on your property and to know what to do about it to prevent these health issues. In the next section, we will provide you with effective tips to prevent rodent infestation.
Effective Tips for Preventing Rats and Mice Infestations
Rodents can be very destructive. They can destroy your home, as well as contaminate your food and wreck your personal belongings. They are generally harmful to your health too. As a property owner, you should take all precautionary measures to prevent rat and mouse infestations in your home.
Remember to keep the following tips in mind:
1. Eliminate any rodents present in your home
If you know that there are mice and rats present on your property, the first thing that you should do is to get rid of them. Unlike with insects, you can remove mice and rats through trapping and baiting.
Whatever you choose, make sure to place them along common pathways where the pests usually pass. Check for droppings and gnaw marks—they are the best places to set your traps and baits.
Use snap-style traps or tamper-resistant bait stations. Snap-style traps can kill rodents quickly. On the other hand, if you prefer the baiting method, the tamper-resistant bait stations are your best bet because they hold the baits in place while keeping the children and pets away.
2. Get rid of outdoor access
Once your home is rodent-free, the next thing that you should do is to ensure that these pests will not return to your property. To do this, you have to eliminate any access to your home.
Keep your trees pruned and your lawns clean to prevent rodents from making them their hiding places. In addition, if you have overhanging trees that rodents can use to hop onto the roof, make sure to get them trimmed.
3. Seal any holes in your house
Rodents may have chewed holes in the walls and floors, providing them easy access to your home from their hiding space. Make sure to check for holes and have them closed up as soon as you get rid of any existing rodents from your property.
Pay attention to vents, doors, windows, and other hidden corners. It’s best to use effective rodent-proofing materials to ensure that these holes are totally sealed.
4. Clear any food sources outside your home
Homes with gardens and fruit trees are more attractive to rodents because they get free access to food. If you have fruit-bearing trees, make sure to consistently clean up any fruits that fall to the ground. Moreover, you can guard your trees against rats by installing a piece of sheet metal around two feet high around the trunk.
If you have a garden, make sure to keep it clean and free from possible hiding spots for rodents. It’s also a good idea to plant mints in your garden. Because rodents don’t like mint, planting one can help discourage them from hiding, staying, or lurking around your garden.
5. Keep both the interior and exterior of your property clean
One of the reasons why rodents invade a home is because of food. If you don’t leave food sitting out in the open, rodents will not be interested in going near your property in the first place. That is why it’s important to keep both the inside and outside of your home clean.
Store your food properly and do not leave any leftovers anywhere. If you have leftover food, make sure to keep them inside the fridge. If you have to throw your rotten leftovers, make sure that they are securely stored inside a rodent-proof garbage bin. This goes the same for pet foods.
6. Build a barrier
You can also prevent rodent infestation by building a two-foot-wide barrier made of cement or crushed rocks to deter mice and rats from going inside your property. If you have the budget, you can improve the design of your property by using rodent-proof construction methods.
7. Remove potential nesting sites
While cleaning out the house and the exterior of your property, make sure to get rid of any potential rodent nesting sites. Check for leaf piles, deep mulch, unused boxes, and other possible hiding places for these pests. Eliminate these nesting sites and keep your property free from any piles of unused materials.
8. Hire a professional pest control service provider
When all else fails, the best option is to hire a professional pest control service provider that can help you get rid of rodent infestations in your home. Pest control professionals have the proper equipment designed to exterminate rodents efficiently, so you won’t have to worry about them anymore.
Bottom Line
For your pest control needs, contact Income Realty Home Watch at (305) 851-8213 and we’ll be happy to assist you.
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