Rodent & Pest Control for Homeowners
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Not only are rodents pesky nuisances, they are among the most common and destructive household pests. According to a survey by the National Pest Management Association, nearly one-third of American homeowners must deal with rodent infestation at some point during their homeownership. This guide will help you prevent, identify, and treat your home to get rid of these scurrying critters.
Rodents reproduce rapidly, are destructive gnawers, and typically carry more than 35 diseases. These are among the many reasons it’s important to prevent infestations and rid your home of them quickly, safely, and inexpensively.
The most effective solution is to keep rodents out of your home in the first place. Sealing entry points will help to avoid a full-scale invasion. But it’s equally important to eliminate attractions like food and water by keeping food (including dog food) in tightly-sealed containers and repairing leaky pipes.
Where Do Rodents Live?
Whether inside your house or outdoors, Rodents like to nest in cozy burrows they create by gnawing or by digging underground. You can find them inside your home or outdoors, but if they can find a way inside, especially in colder weather, they will.
Mice and rats are flexible and can squeeze through openings much smaller than their body size—some can even maneuver through an electrical outlet. They love to create indoor nests in attics and suspended ceilings. Wall cavities, crawl spaces, boxes, drawers, kitchen nooks, and the cushions of stuffed furniture also make ideal homes for rodents. Yard pests like gophers and moles will create holes and tunnels in your lawn to access the warmer indoor environment.
How Do You Know That You Have Rodents?
The most obvious signs that rodents have made it inside your home are droppings and gnaw marks. Other clues are tracks and greasy streak marks along the bottom of the wall or baseboards, hidden stashes of hoarded food, random shredded paper, scurrying noises inside the walls, and a sharp ammonia-like urine odor. If you hear noises in the attic, you might have squirrels or chipmunks nesting.
If you spot a scattering of small holes in your lawn surrounded by mounds of dirt or clipped vegetation, you likely have an infestation of burrowers like gophers or voles.
Rodents love to snack on food in unsealed containers like bags of chips, rice, cereal, flour, crackers, and other non-perishables. Pet food and water left out overnight will attract mice and rats quickly. They also love fruits or vegetables left out in open bowls or leaky pipes or faucets throughout the home. Of course, open trash and compost containers and favorites for rodents.
Rodents can enter your home through holes near cabinets, closets, or doors that lead to the outside or to crawl spaces. They also find their way in through sink holes, holes around windows or doors, appliance pipes, cracked foundations in the basement or unscreened ventilation holes in the attic.
How To Get Rid of Rodents
Prevention is the key to rodent control. Check your home often for small openings that need to be sealed. Avoid stacking wood or other debris near your home. Once you spot an infestation, here are some ways to get rid of the icky pests.
- Traps. Sticky traps, snap traps and live (humane) traps are the most common types.
- Rodenticides. These types of pesticides are generally sold in disposable, ready-to-use bait stations that prevent children and pets from accidentally contacting or ingesting the toxic substances. When dealing with poisons, remember that rodents eat it, run away, and die somewhere else, which can lead to an awful smell.
- Natural and ultrasonic repellents. There are some common non-toxic pest deterrents like peppermint oil and eco-friendly ultrasonic devices that can repel rodents without causing harm to the pests or the human and pets who live in the home.
- Predators. An all-natural solution is to attract owls to your yard. Also, pet cats love to chase and kill rodents.
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