It is winter again and the leaves on trees and shrubs have fallen and mornings are cold and frosty. The rain has come back, and cooler temperatures have returned. The heaters have kicked on, and as we relax by a fire and drink the latest seasonal drink, there is another creature that lurks around, hoping to share these comforts with you during this cold season. Rodents, specifically rats and mice, would love to enjoy all these same comforts in your home.
To avoid unwanted rodent company this season, a great place to start is by doing a thorough inspection. Through this inspection, identify areas where rodents may gain access to your house and take action to seal up these potential entry points. Specific areas to focus on are as follows:
- Entryways and all exterior access doors: Check the weather stripping. Is it in good repair and does it effectively seal off the gaps? If light is showing through or there are noticeable signs of wear, this needs to be repaired. Doors may also provide access from the bottom. Do doors fit properly? Are there any gaps? Does the door sweep or base plate fit properly?
- Garage doors: These are often the most overlooked access points for rodents. Commonly we find gaps along the bottom weather stripping and vinyl side strips. Rodents slip past these gaps to access the garage space then find the warmest location to nest in such as next to the furnace, in an open wall void, in insulated areas, etc...
- Foundation vent screens and attic vent screens: Are screens in good repair and sealed so as not to allow access? Play close attention to locations near pipes, as these are very common.
- The crawl space access: This can be an open freeway for rodents. Does your access lid fit correctly? Are there gaps underneath that allow a rodent to squeeze through? Does your crawl space access have a vertical access panel which fits securely over the opening to the crawl space?
- Vegetation: Do the plants and trees around your home touch or hang over the home? If so, cut all vegetation back to be at least 18 inches from the home. This will not only prevent rodents from easily accessing the home and reduce hiding areas but will also protect your home from excess moisture levels. Additionally, better clearance around the perimeter of the house allows for more thorough inspections and treatments by your pest control inspector.
Most homeowners are more than capable of performing these inspections around their houses, but if you would prefer to spend your time elsewhere (say by that fire sipping that cocoa or a peppermint mocha), we are currently offering a free rodent evaluation from now through the month of February.
Better yet, share this with your neighbors too, as neighborhood rodent reduction efforts tend to bring even higher success rates in helping to keep your home rodent free!
We hope you find these suggestions helpful in protecting your home from rodents and the additional headaches that go with them - preserving the home’s insulation, preventing fires or plumbing leaks from rodents chewing through wiring or pipes, and keeping you sleeping comfortably at night not being woken up by annoying chewing noises in the walls. Whether you’ve identified concerns or would like us to complete your free rodent evaluation, give us a call and we’ll be happy to see how we can help you find peace of mind (at least where rodents are concerned).