Pests – Unwanted Guests
When it gets cold outside there is not much nicer than relaxing in a nice warm home. Rodents are just one of the many pests that will find your home cozy during the winter.When the temperature drops, so does a rodent’s source of food– yet another reason homes become increasingly appealing for rodents, which infest over 21 million homes in America, as reported by professionals in the pest control industry.Seeds and plant life are the usual diet of rodents, however when it gets cold outside this supply dries up, in a bid to find food rodents will rush to human structures.
All it takes is one small exterior opening that a mouse or rat can slip through. You may be surprised to learn that a rodent can fit through a 1/2 inch gap while a mouse can get through an opening as small as 1/4 inch. Being skilled climbers rodents can climb trees or pipes to find a way into your home through vents or high up utility access. What is unsettling is how harmful rodents can be in a home. Rodents are seen as fire hazards, they like to gnaw and will often target electrical wiring which can cause fires, they can also spread any amount of disease through their excrement and bites. Help on pest controllers is easy to get.
It is no surprise they are health threats when you consider the fact they carry over 200 human pathogens. There are some really nasty diseases too, like Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS, and the plague which can both be deadly. HPS, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is distributed via saliva, airborne urine or in the infected feces of deer mice, and it has been classified in thirty US states over the past fourteen years. Nearly 35% of the so far 465 cases of HPS in this country have ended in death.
And while many people believe the plague no longer exists, there are an average of 12 cases reported every year in the United States. The health of humans has been associated with rodents for some time. The 14th century plague in Europe was caused and spread by rodents and because of the way that they spread disease, makes them still a risk factor in modern times. It is unlikely that any rodents residing in your home will carry these diseases, but the possibility is worth taking seriously.
As opposed to what some people think, rodents do not mean a house is unkempt or uncared for. While clutter and bad housekeeping can make your house more attractive to rodents, they will check out any structure that they can get into easily to find food. Look out for telltale signs that you have an infestation. Rodents drop dark-colored feces everywhere they go, which are approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size, and they also reveal their presence by gnawing on food boxes in pantries, chew on door frames or even furniture legs – but they are usually detected first by the sounds that they make as they move in ceilings and behind walls. You can get the best pest Control in Australia information by visiting this website.
The second you think you have an invasion of rodents in your home you should call a pest control operator. Most experts in the pest control industry agree that a combination of rodenticides and traps are the most effective technique to eradicate a rodent problem.The techniques they use will result in more effective extermination than if you attempted to do it yourself. In order to help put a stop to rodent invasions, apply these helpful tips to help organize your home for the colder temperatures to come later in the year. * Firewood should be stored away from the home and should be kept up and off the ground. If you have any debris around the outside of your home, such as bricks or stones then clear this away. These are a haven for rodents, which might also be hiding their point of entry into your home.
If you find any hole in the outside of your home larger than 1/4 inch, seal it immediately. If there are large cracks then stuff them with steel wool and wire mesh before you seal them. Vents in both the attic and foundation should be covered with 1/4 inch hardware cloth. Normal insect screening does not get rid of rodents, so set up a tight fitting weather strip along the base of every door. Any tree branches that over hang your house and could be used by a rodent to gain access to the roof or vents should be trimmed along with any shrubbery.