Rodents are far too common in West Chester homes. These furry pests will come into your yard and explore your landscaping before they get inside. If you know how they behave, you can naturally prevent rodents from your West Chester home. Let's look at essential facts every West Chester homeowner should know about rodent control and ways your West Chester pest control provider can help. If you need help with an urgent rodent control issue, jump to our contact page for immediate assistance. We'll send one of our friendly and knowledgeable technicians your way. With that said, let's get into our guide.
Types Of Rodents That Commonly Invade West Chester Homes
There are many rodents in West Chester, but only a handful typically get into homes. The most common home-invading rodents are rats, mice, and squirrels. The worst are rats and mice because they don't just get inside, they explore every level of a home. Squirrels tend to be yard rodents, and when they get inside, they usually nest in attics.
There are several species of mice, some of which prefer to stay outside. Others get in and stay for a short time. The most common home-invading mice are aptly named house mice. They love living with humans so much that there are currently no known populations of wild house mice anywhere in the world.
There are also a few rat species in our area. The most common types of rats are Norway rats and roof rats. Norway rats are typically brown and may live in ground burrows rather than in your home. Roof rats are black rats that commonly get inside homes and stay permanently. While it may seem that Norway rats are the best of the two, some conditions can make them the worst. Since these rats can live in your yard and go in and out of your home, they have a greater potential for exposing you to harmful bacteria picked up from unsanitary sources outside.
Mice and rats may not seem like they would be much of a problem because they're small animals, but you might be surprised. Even a tiny little mouse can present a significant threat to your property and wellbeing.
The Damage And Dangers Rodents Can Create In A Home
When rodents get into your home, there are a few ways they can impact your health and damage your home. The more rodents you have, the greater the impact. Here are some problems that rodents can cause in your home:
- Rodents chew through materials. They can chew holes through baseboards, sheetrock, foam insulation, and other building materials.
- Rodents are known to chew on wiring. Experts believe that around 20% of property fires that ignite from an undetermined source are rodent-related.
- Rodents chew holes in your exterior and allow moisture into your home. A moisture problem can lead to wood damage, mold, and other issues.
- Rodents leave droplets of urine as they explore. They use the scent of urine to help them navigate environments with little or no light. Rodent urine can contaminate food and surfaces.
- Rodents leave their droppings as they explore. These can also be a source of contamination.
- Rodents bring ticks, fleas, and other parasites in with them. Experts say one house mouse can have as many as 100 seed ticks on its body.
We could give many more examples, but this is a guide on rodent control. Our goal in sharing the dangers of rodents in West Chester is to motivate you to take action to protect your home from these pests. Next, we'll look at four tips that will help you keep rodents out of your home.
Four Effective Rodent-Exclusion Tips For Around The House
Now that you have an understanding of the common rodents in West Chester and the problems they cause, it's time to use what we've talked about and apply it to rodent prevention. Here are four techniques that can help keep rodents out of your house:
1. Address routes.
If you hope to keep house mice or roof rats out of your home, you need to consider the routes they commonly take to get inside. Both are impressive climbers. Trim tree branches away from your roofline, put something prickly at the point where wires connect to your home, and insert wire mesh in your downspouts to keep these animals from accessing your roof. Your roof has many vulnerabilities that these animals can easily exploit. Use hardware cloth to protect louvers and gable vents. Mice and rats can easily scale many exteriors. If you see an area where rodents are gnawing on building materials, use metal flashing to prevent them from getting in.
2. Seal entry points.
If you're looking to keep out rodents, you need to seal low-lying entry points. Foam and caulking material work to get this tough job done. Seal gaps around pipes, conduits, and other foundation penetrations. Seal gaps above sole plates. Fill in rotted wood holes or holes chewed by rodents. Replace door sweeps or install them on exterior doors that don't have them. Use a foundation repair kit to repair foundation cracks. Check the seal on your garage door and make sure rodents have not chewed a hole in the sweep.
3. Remove hiding places and points of navigation.
When Norway rats create burrows in your yard, they prefer to do so underneath stacked objects. Remove stacked wood, construction material, junk, and leaf piles. If you do this, you'll have the secondary benefit of removing objects rodents will use to navigate your yard. A clutter-free yard is uninviting to rodents because they have poor eyesight and must use other senses, such as smell, touch, and hearing, to navigate. As you consider rodent hiding places, be sure to take your landscaping into account. If rodents can hide in your landscaping, they can chew on building materials without being exposed. Trim bushes and shrubs and remove unnecessary vegetation. Also, consider using fencing materials to seal voids underneath structures, such as your deck, patio, or stairs. Rodents are more likely to chew a hole into your home if they find a hiding place from which to do it.
4. Address food sources.
All rodents want to find food in your yard. While they get into your trash receptacles and eat garbage, there are many things they eat that might not be on your radar. Here are a few common food sources for rodents:
- Seeds: Remove bird feeders or move them well away from your exterior walls to keep rodents away.
- Nuts and fruit: If you have trees that produce these, stay on top of clean-up.
- Bugs: A year-round pest control program can help cull insect populations, keep them out of your home, and help reduce a food source that brings rodents into your yard.
- Dog droppings: It is gross but true. Remove dog waste to deter rodents from attempting to live on your property or inside your home.
If you take these steps to keep rodents out of your home, you may not need any more control than this. Rodent exclusion isn't complicated. It's just hard work. If you don't have the energy, time, or ability to keep rodents out, or you have higher than normal rodent pressures, it may be necessary to call in West Chester rodent control professionals.
West Chester's Secret Weapon To Total Rodent Control
No rodents should be welcome in your home – even tiny rodents. The smallest of rodents can chew a live wire and start a fire. If natural exclusions and yard work don't keep rodents out, you may need a more aggressive approach.
While you may be tempted to use traps and other DIY rodent control solutions, we advise against it. Here's why:
- Rodents are difficult to trap. If you fail to get all the rodents out of your home, they can continue to present a threat without you knowing.
- DIY traps can harm rodents when deployed incorrectly. A mouse or rat might chew a limb off, crawl into a wall void, and die. A dead rodent will produce a bad smell.
- It is possible to have mice or rats breed faster than you can remove them from your home. You could find yourself removing rodent carcasses for months.
The most effective way to get rid of rodents on your West Chester property is to hire a professional pest control service. For quality rodent control in West Chester, reach out to Masters Touch Pest Solutions. Our technicians have the training and experience to provide you with the results you want. We will install rodent control equipment and follow up regularly to inspect and maintain it – and to ensure that no rodents remain inside your home. If you have questions or you'd like to schedule a service, reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you, and we look forward to the opportunity to help you resolve your rodent issue. At Masters Touch Pest Solutions, your satisfaction is our number one priority. Contact us today!
