Jack-o’-lanterns are being carved, apples are being bobbed for, and families are excitedly walking their neighborhoods in search of sweet treats. Meanwhile, small, hairy, disease-ridden creatures are lurking in the shadows also looking for a treat.
While this sounds like the premise of a horror film, it isn’t. This time of year as the temperature drops, rats and mice are looking for a warm, safe place to call home … and unfortunately, this sometimes means your home.
Rodents can fit into the smallest of spaces and if you have a reliable source of food and water, they’ll do whatever it takes to get inside of your home. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help keep them out. Keep reading to learn them now!
- Seal Cracks and Holes
Rats and mice often get inside of homes through cracks in the home’s foundation. If it’s big enough to see, it’s big enough for a mouse to get in. Use a combination of steel mesh or steel wool along with a silicone-based caulk to seal all of these potential entry points to make it harder for these pests to get inside. Don’t forget those small gaps where utility lines enter your home!
- Install Door Sweeps
Rats can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter, and mice even smaller. Install door sweeps to the bottoms of your doors to block that gap between the door frame and the door.
- Replace Weatherstripping
Your weatherstripping are those black-colored strips that run along your door and window frames. Over time they can become damaged or worn. If you close the door and light seeps through, it’s probably time to replace it. Weatherstripping will not only help keep rodents out, but it will also improve your heating and cooling.
- Trim Shrubs and Eliminate Debris
Make your home look less appealing from the get-go! Rodents are attracted to shrubs, vegetation, stacked firewood, and anything else nestled near your home because they act as harborages. Rodents, particularly roof rats are skilled climbers. They often climb trees, scurry across branches, and leap off to gain access onto your roof and then in your home. Clean up outside and prune your landscaping to help deter these small pests.
- Cover Vents and Downspouts
Rats and mice may climb up your downspouts to gain access to vents or other openings near the roof of your home. To help prevent this from happening, cover your vents and downspouts with ¼ inch mesh screens. Make sure to inspect them regularly because rodents might chew on them.
Rodents can spread harmful bacteria and diseases, contaminate your food, and damage your home and personal belongings so if you feel your home is vulnerable, give Pioneer Pest Management a call. We use Integrated Pest Management practices which are environmentally sensitive and effective.