When people think of a happy home, they think of family members sitting around a table enjoying a meal together. They think of ways to convert the basement into an entertainment room. They do not think of rodents. In fact, a rodent infestation is a surefire way to ensure no one in the house is happy.
That’s why the topic of rodent prevention is a popular one for homeowners in Simsbury. While there are numerous ways to protect your home against rodents, the first step is to educate yourself about rodent behavior. For example, they eat and drink the same food and water as people do. To a point, avoiding rodents can be as easy as eliminating easy access to these items. However, there are other important protocols you can take to make your rodent problem a thing of the past.
Rodents And Their Problems
At this point, you may be wondering why rodents are such a huge problem. Sure, rodents are a nuisance, but that’s it, right? Unfortunately, that idea only scratches the surface of what harm rodents can cause to people and their homes.
- Never-ending chewing: Rodents' teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. Therefore, they have to chew constantly to keep their teeth filed down. Over time, this leads to significant property damage for homeowners. Everything from clothing to electrical wires are targets for rodents. Chewed electrical wires can cause house fires while ongoing chewing behind the wall can compromise the home’s structure.
- Disease: Besides property damage, rodents can make people sick as a result of the diseases and bacteria they carry. Besides the plague, rodents carry other serious conditions such as hantavirus, salmonellosis, and other hazardous illnesses. Diseases are transmitted via the droppings rodents leave behind.
- Quality of Life: Seeing rodents move throughout the house or hearing them at night can wreak havoc on a person’s emotional state. Lack of sleep along with fears of getting sick can cause unwanted stress if the problem isn’t controlled.
- Parasites: Rodents also carry parasites such as fleas and ticks. These parasites will transfer to humans easily, causing a host of additional problems. These parasites can be an annoyance at best and a source of illness at worst.
Know The Warning Signs
The signs of a rodent infestation are obvious once you know what to look for. While there are many indicators that you have a rodent problem, below are some common signs of infestation:
- Droppings: Short of seeing the rodents themselves, this is a surefire way to recognize a rodent infestation. Rodents have no problem leaving their droppings anywhere they travel. If you notice droppings, you have an infestation on your hands. Pay attention to the location of droppings so that you can look for possible entry points and begin to understand the rodents' behavior.
- Travel Marks: Rodents leave rub marks where they travel. This includes the floor and walls. If the marks smear, it’s an indication that they’re fresh. Also, be on the lookout for signs of gnawing on your baseboards or furniture as this indicates a rodent infestation as well.
- Nests: Rodents make nests wherever they establish residence. Mice collect shredded paper, cardboard, or other material to build their homes. Rats, on the other hand, nest in burrows outdoors, and if they find their way into your home, they will likely nest in areas with little human traffic such as in attics, crawl spaces, or basements.
- Noises: If you hear scratching sounds at night while trying to sleep, it’s a sign you have rodents since they are nocturnal and run along the floors and walls in the middle of the night.
Why Do-It-Yourself Methods Will Not Work
Most homeowners choose to attempt DIY solutions to control their rodent problem. This is a mistake that can cost you a lot more in the long run. Though it may seem like a good idea, there are some reasons why you should contact an expert to help control your rodent problem.
- Prolific breeding: There’s no such thing as just one or two rodents. There are always dozens more because rodents breed rapidly. The high reproduction rate ensures DIY is never fully successful because those solutions only tackle the rodents immediately available.
- Traps: It’s true that traps work. However, putting them down on your own is never as successful as when professionals do the job. Professionals are trained to identify where the rodents reside, which translates to more effective rodent control.
- Hazardous Chemicals: Some DIY methods involve the use of chemicals in the home. Handing chemicals is never a good idea. They can be harmful to your health, the health of your family members, and the health of your pets.
- The walls: Most DIY solutions treat the symptoms of a rodent infestation but not the cause. The rodents come from the outside, which means there are cracks or holes in the walls allowing rodents to come inside.
Professionals know how to effectively locate and seal up entry points so that you’re protected in the future.
Trust The Experts To Keep Rodents Out Of Your Simsbury Home
No matter how hard you work to clean your home and avoid a rodent infestation, you are still at risk. Pests - rodents or otherwise - are opportunistic; if they have an opportunity to invade, they will. Fortunately, our experts at American Pest Solutions have pest control options to keep your home safe from unwanted intruders.
At American Pest Solutions, we understand that controlling the problem goes beyond the initial incident. That’s why we provide a prompt 24-hour emergency service so that our customers have the resources they need to stay protected at all times. We work with you to provide long-lasting results.
Don't wait another minute to learn more about our rodent control options. Contact us today or fill out our online form to schedule your free quote.