Fall is only a few weeks away, which means it is the time of year that we begin preparing our homes in hopes to prevent pests such as rodents from invading. Rodents often look for a warm place with both food and water sources to call home during the cold winter season. Utah is home to many species of mice and rats that will invade homes and may enter yours this coming fall. Rentokil will share how you can eliminate this threat from your home.

Pest Exclusion & Home Sealing

Exclusion should always be the first step you take to keep rodents out of your home. Both mice and rats are great climbers and will look for the smallest holes to access your home. Begin a top to bottom inspection of your home’s exterior. Start by covering all exterior vents with a wire mesh material. The metal wiring can keep rodents out and still provide airflow to areas such as chimneys, attic vents, and dryer vents. Another place you will want to inspect is around your windows and doors. Do you see daylight from outside your homecoming through your doors? If so, the weather stripping needs to be replaced. Mice can fit through a gap the size of a pencil so make sure you replace weather stripping around doors. Windows frames often develop gaps. Use a strong sealer and avoid silicone caulking glue. Instead, use a concrete sealer. Mice or rats will simply chew through glues. Stainless steel wool can also be used to prevent entry and to plug holes as rodents can’t chew through it. After sealing up your home you will want to take the next step toward prevention.

Rodent Infestation Prevention

Exterior – Prevention involves removing potential water or food sources along with nesting sites. Start outside. If you have a firewood pile next to your home, remove the firewood and stack your wood as far from the house as possible. Make sure to stack the wood a foot off of the ground. Rodents and other pests love living in firewood piles and you are creating a place for them to live. You don’t want pests next to your house. If you leave food or water for wild birds or pets, stop. By leaving food or water outside you are feeding the other wildlife including rodents. It also helps to reduce rodents by keeping the yard maintained and the home exterior free of clutter.
Interior – Inside the home you will want to seal food and repair leaky plumbing. All stored food in pantries should be sealed in airtight containers, preferably metal or glass. Again, rodents will eventually chew through plastic. Never leave out a snack or fruit bowl. All leaky or dripping faucets and other plumbing should be repaired. You want to deny the rodents of food and water completely.

Rodent Control

After you have worked on exclusion and prevention, the last step is rodent control. It is best to hire a professional to trap and eradicate rodents as they harbor bacteria and diseases. Professional pest control companies know the best treatment methods to successfully eliminate rodent infestations. For more help controlling pests, including rodents, then seek the aid of a professional pest control service. Rentokil can help you with all of your pest control needs. Contact Rentokil today!