With the colder months arriving, rodents seek warm food and shelter just like us. Mice and rats tend to find their way into your heated homes the most in the winter because of this. They are not only just unsanitary but can actually do damage to your health and home. Rodents will chew on wires and insulation. This article intends to tell you about rodent prevention and how to stop rodents from entering your home before it becomes a problem.

Remove Any Sources/Access to Food

Small changes you may not even realize that lead rodents to your food should be made. For example, when taking out your trash, make sure all of your trash bags remain sealed tight and inside of the can closed shut. If you leave trash bags, oftentimes near a garage or entry way door to your home, rodents will find their way in. We recommend switching from trash cans inside your home with lids on them, rather than an open top design. If you have pets and keep bags of their food in the garage, or even extra food for your family stored here, take action by moving it inside far from doors or windows. Of course, make sure to wipe down your surfaces and clean up crumbs regularly, along with tight sealing all food in your pantry.

Examine Your Home for Openings to Seal Them Properly

Rats and mice typically enter homes through crawl spaces where they nest and chew their way through wires and various materials to create an entry point. Conduct a walk-through of your home to determine if you have any gaps, openings, or holes. If you do find an opening, even as small as the size of a nickel, rodents will rip through to enter. Seal any openings over ¼”—particularly around doors & windows. Does your garage door gap some at the bottom? You should install vinyl or rubber seals to fill the space. A few other reminders- remove any debris, including rock piles, old equipment, etc. and store firewood off the ground and away from the house.

Contact The Professionals

Sometimes the preventative actions suggested will only go so far. Not implementing these prevention tactics will lead to rodent infestation. Once rodents sneak inside of your home, nothing stops them from infecting or biting you. Bacterial diseases like Rat Bite Fever prove less common, but the rat-borne bacterium Leptospira, which can cause jaundice, meningitis, and kidney and liver complications, has recently been a cause for concern in urban areas. Mice can carry hantaviruses, some of which cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), potentially fatal to humans.

If you do find yourself with a rodent issue, contact A-1 Able Pest Doctors immediately. The professionals at A-1 Able Pest Doctors provide a wealth of information and experience on every job regarding rodent removal and control. We want to help with your rodent removal to give you, your family, or your employees peace of mind about your environment.