Why Call a Pest Control Professional for Rodent Problems

There are many misconceptions when it comes to mice and rats, especially on the topic of rodent control. The most important misconception is that homeowners can solve a rodent problem using traps. Let's explore this together because understanding this one important misconception will help you understand why it is important to call a professional pest control service when rodent problems appear.

Traps Can Be Applied Wrong

When an untrained individual lays traps to capture mice and rats, a lot can go wrong. You can use the wrong bait. You can apply the bait to the latch incorrectly. You can place the traps in the wrong locations or in the wrong orientation. You can apply too few traps to get the job done. We could go on and on, but hopefully, you get the point. There is a reason mice and rats are a worldwide pest problem. Their natural instincts work well to protect them from being trapped. Pest professionals use methods and products that have been field-tested. This gives a pest professional a much higher success rate.

Traps Don't Stop Infestations

Even when you do everything right, laying down traps is not a complete solution. Your home is the perfect place for rodents to live. It provides protection from predators as well as food and water sources for resourceful rodents. If you capture and remove all the rodents from your home, you're just going to have more rodents replace the ones you've removed. This can turn into an endless cycle. While a professional will use traps to remove rodents, this control method is only one piece in the pest-management puzzle.

It is Important to Know When All the Rodents are Gone

If you hear noises in your walls and lay a trap down and actually catch a rodent, you might be tempted to think your problem is solved. This is a dangerous assumption. While you're waiting to hear more noises or see more evidence of rodents (which sometimes never manifest) mice and rats will be able to harm your health and your property.

• Rodents damage your home. Holes that rodents create to get into homes can allow rainwater to get in. This can lead to water damage and mold. Those holes will also allow other pests to get into your home.
• Rodents damage your belongings. Once inside a home, rodents can damage insulation, wood, wallpaper, sheetrock, furniture, stored items and more. As they chew through walls, they can sever live wires and cause a fire, which can lead to a catastrophic loss of property and potentially a loss of life.
• Rodents cause contamination. We all know that rodents can contaminate food and cause illnesses such as Salmonella and E. coli, but that is just the tip of a very large iceberg. Rodents leave their feces and urine everywhere they go, including locations where they sleep. Rodents get into dumpsters, trash bins and other dirty places where they pick up harmful bacteria. As these animals move around inside your home they come in contact with food-prep surfaces, silverware, plates, food shelves and more.
• Rodents spread parasites. When mice or rats get into a home, they not only bring ticks, fleas, lice, mites and other parasites in with them, they do an impressive job of spreading them around. While a squirrel is likely to stay in your attic, mice and rats travel through wall voids and explore every level from your attic to your basement.

Investing in rodent control comes with many benefits. Here are just a few of them:

• Rodents chew holes to get into your home. Routine inspections from a professional can help detect these holes early and stop rodents from getting in.
• Professionals apply rodent control around your home to monitor for rodent activity and stop infestations "before" they occur.
• Professionals know what conditions can increase your chances of an infestation. This information is shared with you to help you make slight changes that can have a big impact.
• Ongoing residential pest control also protects you from many other significant pest threats such as the illnesses spread by ticks, mosquitoes, cockroach and more.

If you're dealing with rodents and you're in our Massachusetts or Connecticut service area, reach out to American Pest Solutions. We offer one-time and ongoing rodent control solutions. Get started by requesting a free home pest control evaluation.