Rodents and Winter: What You Need to Know
Keeping The Rodents Out
This winter, you won’t be the only one trying to stay warm! As the temperature continues to drop, rodents will be searching for warm places to hide out, and unfortunately for you, your home provides the perfect place for these pests to find shelter.
Below we have listed a collection of facts and tips that will help keep your home from turning into a five-star hotel for vermin this winter.
Dangers Of An Infestation
Most people are unlikely to invite rats, mice, or any other rodent into their homes. However, you may not know just how imperative it is to the health of your home and family to root out an infestation as quickly as possible.
Rodents love to chew, and your home can become their prime target if you’re not careful. Rats and mice are willing to chew on anything, including electrical wiring, insulation, wood, or even concrete. This can affect the foundation of your home and open it up to potential electrical fires.
Not only can these pests damage your home, but they carry potential diseases that put your family at risk. Your home’s food is a tempting treat for the vermin hiding in your home, and anything found in a cardboard box is easy for them to sneak into. Once the rat or mouse gets inside the box, it is likely to spread germs and disease as it tries to get at your food. And disease isn’t the only problem, as rodents also tend to leave urine and feces wherever they have been.
How Rodents Get In
To prevent an infestation, you should first understand how vermin can get into your home. Rodents have an incredible ability to scale walls and wiggle through the smallest of openings. Look out for corners where the siding meets on your house, areas around windows, holes or gaps in the foundation, garages attached to the house, open chimneys, and spots where the utility lines meet your home, as these provide opportunities for rats and mice to sneak in.
How To Prevent Rodents
Now that you know how pests can enter your home, here are some of the steps you can take to keep them out and prevent an infestation.
Seal Entrances
One way to keep out these vermin is to check your home for all the possible entrance ways mentioned above. If you find any cracks, gaps, and holes in your home, you should seal them up to block rodents from entering your home.
Clean Your Home
Removing any crumbs, not leaving food out, and cleaning dirty dishes can make your home less inviting to rats and mice. Getting rid of any paper and cardboard boxes that you no longer need can eliminate places where rats and mice could hide and minimize the amount of material they can use to build a nest.
Keep Bird Feeders Far From Home
While bird feeders are a great way to attract beautiful birds to your property, unfortunately, they also invite all other types of pests. If you’re dead set on having a bird feeder in your yard, try pushing it further back from the house on your property; this way, rodents are less likely to infiltrate your home.
Signs Of An Infestation
Even if you take all these steps to prevent vermin, they may still find a way to sneak their way into your home, so it’s good to know what signs to look out for in case vermin are hiding in your home.
Strange sounds
One sign of an infestation is the sound of scratching or scampering in your walls and roof, as these are the areas where you are most likely to find a nest.
Feces or urine
Another way to spot the presence of rodents is by looking out for any feces or heavy ammonia smells. Rats and mice don’t care where they relieve themselves, so this is one of the best ways to find out if they’re hiding in your home.
Shredded boxes or paper
If you are finding boxes and paper shredded in cluttered areas, this is another significant sign of an infestation, as these materials can be used for nests and help satisfy their need to chew.
Gnawing marks
Rats and mice will often leave gnawing marks on different hard surfaces, electrical wiring, and many other things to maintain their dental health and prevent the development of malocclusion.
If you see any of these signs, it’s best to hire a professional who can locate and fix your pest problem. Don’t let rodents invade your home! Call (813) 733-8823 to have the expertly trained team of professionals at Cross Pest Control of Tampa fix all your pest related problems.