The cold winter months are approaching, increasing the potential for rodents to move into your home. The best way to prevent an infestation of rats and mice is to ensure that there is no way for them to get in and become comfortable. The following tips will help you to keep rodents out of your home.
Inspect Potential Entry Areas
It’s difficult if not impossible to keep rodents from entering your home if you don’t know how they are getting in. Carefully inspect the exterior and interior walls of your home in search of any areas where rodents can enter. Keep in mind that mice can get through even the tiniest of spaces. Critical areas to check are:
- Doors
- Foundation walls
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Windows
- Wiring
Seal Gaps
If you find any gaps through which a rodent can get into your home, seal them as soon as possible. Steel wool or caulk are great options for sealing a gap, depending on the size. Repair any holes in screens. If necessary replace any windows that no longer close tightly. Remember that by sealing up your home, you will remove any means of escape for any rodents that have already entered your house. A trapped rodent could potentially lead to them burrowing inside your walls. Rodents that get stuck in your walls with no food source and no way out will eventually die, leaving your home with a pungent odor. If you notice any odd smells in your home, contact a reliable home pest control professional for help.
Keep Your Living Space Clean
Once you are sure there are no entry points that could allow rodents to gain access into your home, you’ll need to make sure there is no reason for them to come inside. By eliminating any food sources for them, you will drastically reduce the potential for a rodent infestation. Be sure to clean up any food messes that you create as soon as possible. Keep all people and pet foods stored in sealed containers. Rodents are also looking for a safe place to build a nest and breed, so it’s important to dispose of any newspapers and boxes that you are no longer using. Vacuum your home on a regular basis to keep dust bunnies away.
Contain Your Garbage
As long as a rodent can get to a food source, it will be content. Scrap food in the garbage should be sealed to keep rodents from being able to get to it. Keep your garbage bags in sealed containers with lids that are secure. Put your trash out of your home as soon as possible into another sealed container in your garage or away from your home.
For home pest control advice in the Frisco TX area, contact Bug Commander at (214) 307-1933 today!