Your home was not built with rodents in mind. Your walls were designed to store insulation and wires, not rodent nests. Your cabinets were constructed to hold your food, not rodent food. Every aspect of your home was built with human occupants in mind. Yet year after year, rodents invade and make what is ours theirs. Do you want to learn how to deter rodents from your Texarkana property this year? We have some tips that should help.
Different Types Of Rodents Here In Texarkana and How They Get Inside
A rodent is defined by its sharp front incisor teeth. These teeth are strong enough to chew through many things including wood, rock, brick, aluminum, and in some cases even lead. As you would guess, these teeth can cause many problems inside homes including severed electrical wiring and gnawed utility piping.
Here in Texarkana, we have 3 major types of rodents that are considered house pests: rats, mice, and squirrels. These furry foes can get into homes in many ways. Some are not great climbers; they rely on holes, gaps, cracks, or damage in the base of your home to get inside. These openings are often created by general wear and tear or by small natural disasters. Other rodents such as squirrels and roof rats have no trouble climbing higher up to get inside. They will look for gaps in your roofline as well as broken soffits to gain access to areas higher up in your home.
The Dangers Of Having Rodents In The Home
Despite rodents' soft and cuddly appearance, they are dangerous pests. When not kept in a clean and controlled environment, rodents have a track record of picking up and transmitting some fairly serious diseases and parasites. When inside, they spread these problems over eating surfaces and countertops and they contaminate food with their dirty bodies, fecal matter, and urine. If you find a box of food with a hole chewed through it, it is a good idea to throw it away.
Remember the parasites we mentioned earlier? Rodents can carry both internal and external parasites. You have heard of fleas and ticks, parasitic insects that need hosts to survive. These pests can live on the exterior of rodents and can be brought into homes and spread to indoor pets. You may not have heard of helminths. These are worms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. These multicellular worms can be spread to humans causing serious medical problems.
How You Can Keep Rodents Out
We have already discussed how rodents get inside. We have not yet told you how you can keep these furry invaders out. Here is a list of our best suggestions to keep your home pest-free this new year.
- Clear debris and clutter from your yard.
- Use a caulking gun and steel wool to seal gaps, cracks, and holes in your home’s exterior foundation.
- Repair any more serious damage to your home that could allow rodents a way in.
- Install door sweeps under all exterior doors.
- Store leftover foods inside sealed plastic, metal, or glass containers.
- Clean up messes and spills as they happen around the home.
- Pick up and clean out pet food and water bowls before going to bed.
- Reduce moisture around the home by fixing leaks and making sure gutters are in good working order.
Why Choose Professional Help Over DIY
It can be tempting to try to solve rodent problems without help from a professional, such as buying and putting out a few traps. The truth is, traps are only effective for very small infestations such as one or two rodents. Due to how fast rodents repopulate, if you do not trap every rodent within a short span of time, you will find your problem getting worse. With professional treatment provided by Pest-Pro Services, Inc, you get quick and reliable rodent control that leaves no survivors. By the time we are done, your Texarkana home will be rodent-free.
Give us a call today to learn more about how we treat for rodents or to schedule immediate services for your property.