Emily Kil is co-owner of Eco Bear, a leading biohazard remediation company in Southern California. An experienced entrepreneur, Emily assisted in founding Eco Bear as a means of combining her business experience with her desire to provide assistance to people facing challenging circumstances. Emily regularly writes about her first-hand experiences providing services such as biohazard cleanup, suicide cleanup, crime scene cleanup, unattended death cleanup, infectious disease disinfection, and other types of difficult remediations in homes and businesses.
Rodents generally comprise a remarkable 40 percent of all mammals inhabiting the planet today. Mice make up a considerable percentage of members of the rodent family. Mice live in a variety of different habitats, from fields to forests to deserts and a myriad of other locations. There are even mice that are capable of climbing…
Odds are that you’ve been at least somewhat educated on the need to keep food items appropriately stored to prevent mice and rats from being attracted to your residence. What you may not have focused as directly on is the fact that water is also attractive to rodents and can make your home a target…
Mice are inventive, cunning, and adept critters. They are capable of taking up residence in different parts of a structure, including underneath homes. This means that mice are capable of nesting not only in basements, cellars, or crawlspaces but in spaces beneath the first floor of a house, even when there exists no lower level…
Field mouse or field mice is a term that is used to encompass a number of different specific species of mice that are more commonplace throughout the United States, including in Southern California. The moniker of field mice is applied because of a frequent habitat of different and yet similar types of mice, which is…
If you’ve had a mouse infestation in your home and have successfully eradicated the invasive rodents, your work is not done. You still must address the issue of rat droppings and other waste that remains behind in your home following the eradication of a mouse infestation in your residence. There are a number of facts and…
There are certain types of rodents that more commonly infest structures made by humans. This includes mice and rats that infest homes, business, garages, barns, and other structures. In order to prevent a rodent infestation, and in order to deal with one when it occurs, it is important for you to have a basic appreciation…
One of the most shattering experiences is the loss of a family member or other loved one by suicide. The tragic, traumatic loss becomes more complicated and overwhelming when death occurs in the home. A survivor of suicide loss not only faces seemingly insurmountable grief but also a good deal of confusion as to what…
If you’re like nearly every adult in the United States, and elsewhere around the globe, you’ve heard the term “biohazard.” Like most individuals, you likely do not have a truly solid understanding of what constitutes a biohazard. We present you with the essential information you need in order to have a solid understanding of what…
A traumatic experience is learning that a member of your family died alone and that the deceased loved one’s remains were not immediately found. This type of scenario is known as an unattended death (or an undiscovered death). The death of a person in this manner impacts the deceased person’s family in a number of…
Since the early days of the AIDS pandemic in the early 1980s, over 77 million people have become infected worldwide with HIV, the virus responsible for setting the stage for AIDS-related illnesses. Over 35 million people have died as a result of these various AIDS-related illnesses. In 2017 alone, approximately 940,000 people around the globe…
An oft-used cliché is that we all have two things in common: death and taxes. In regards to death, humans share an associated reality: the decomposition process. Having noted this, another reality is that the decomposition process is not the same for all bodies. The fact is that there are a variety of factors that…
Suicide is classified as a major public health problem in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In order to get a clearer picture of the problem and the prevalence of suicide in the United States, considering some key statistical information may be helpful. General Suicide Statistical Data Across the United…
One of the most frustrating situations that can occur is a rodent infestation in your home. Indeed, a rodent infestation is not only exasperating, but it is also potentially dangerous. The hazards associated with a rodent infestation include the droppings associated with these types of critters. If you’re a landlord or a tenant, you may…
A truly devastating experience, on many different levels, is a violent crime occurring in your home. The shocking reality is that a high percentage of violent crimes occur in residential settings each year. If you’ve experienced a violent crime in your home, you may now wonder who is responsible for the costs associated with crime…
Like many individuals across the United States, you may have some understanding of hoarding, but have many questions about the condition all the same. One of the key questions that you might have is what are the causes of hoarding disorder in the first instance? This article is presented to provide you with essential information…
One of the most challenging, even traumatic, situations a family can experience is the unattended death of one of its own. The unattended death of a family member is a truly tragic experience on many levels. This article is designed to enumerate the ways in which an unattended death impacts the family of the deceased…
In basic terms, biohazard cleanup is the thorough elimination of potentially dangerous biological substances. Any individual involved in a biohazard cleanup process faces the prospect of exposure to what are known as dangerous pathogens. These pathogens include bacteria and viruses that have the potential for causing disease, including serious and even potentially fatal illness. Because…
One of the most frustrating and potentially dangerous situations you can experience in your residence is a rodent infestation. One of the more challenging types of rodent infestations occurs in an attic. If you’ve found yourself facing a rodent infestation in your attic, you undoubtedly are wondering what you can do to bring the vermin…
The Norway rat is one of the two most common rats in the United States. The second is the tree rat. Also known as the brown rat or sewer rat, the Norway rat is a common invader of homes, businesses, and other structures. We present an overview of different aspects of the biology and life…
In an attempt to define what is obscenity, Supreme Court Justice Potter Steward wrote: “I know it when I see it.” Understanding that this article is on the subject of “what does a rat look like,” raising the way the U.S. Supreme Court has attempted to define what is and is not obscene material certainly…
Home and business owners typically are strident in their efforts to keep rodents at bay and rat out of the premises. With that in mind, there exist different types of repellants that are used in an attempt to keep rodents out of homes and businesses. These repellants are explored with you in this article. Natural…
Rodents make up 40 percent of all mammal species on the planet. There is a multitude of different types of rodent species living around the world today, including in Southern California and across the United States. Rats and muskrats are two types of rodents that live in California and elsewhere around the country. If you…
The best way to address a rat infestation is to be as proactive as possible to eliminate the situation. You pace yourself in the best possible position to proactively address an infestation by having a clear understanding of the signs of the presence of rats in the first instance. A key sign that you have…
All states have legally mandated disclosures that must be made by a home seller to a prospective homebuyer. This includes the state of California. For example, there are specific disclosure requirements that must be made in regard to lead paint and mold at a residential property. If you’ve found yourself in a position in which…
All U.S. states, including California, have mandated home seller disclosure requirements, information that must be made available to a prospective buyer by operation of law. Indeed, the California real estate disclosure requirements are more comprehensive than what exists in nearly all other states in the country. With that noted, California arguably has not been as…
Very little in life is more devastating than being the victim of a violent crime (or having a family member that is targeted in this manner). If you or a loved one has been victimized in this manner, you may now face the daunting prospect of crime scene cleanup. Because of the physical and emotional…
There is a good deal of discussion about protecting your home or business from a rat or mouse infestation. There is much less information provided about what you can do to protect your vehicle from rats and mice. We present to you some useful tips to keep your vehicle safe from rats and mice. The…
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard or read the long-used adage that prevention is the best medicine. Indeed, you likely have heard this mantra in situations beyond a medical or healthcare setting. The reality is that when it comes to rats in a residential or commercial setting, trying to eliminate them after infestation occurs is far, far less…
There are two rat species that are the most commonplace in the United States. These are: Norway rat (also known as a brown rat or sewer rat) Roof rat (also known as a black rat) Each of these rats has different habitat preferences. A home or business owner intent on protecting against a rat infestation…
There exist a myriad of different mouse species that inhabit the United States. The most common type of mouse in the country at this juncture in time is the rodent commonly known as the house mouse. With that said, the deer mouse has started to garner increasing attention among people in the United States and…
If you’ve found yourself with mice in your home or business, you may have made the decision to eliminate these rodents on your own. The alternative is to engage the services of a professional. If you are inclined to deal with a mouse infestation on your own, you likely are wondering what options are available…
Every year, millions of people find themselves dealing with mice infestations in their homes. Eliminating mice from a house (or business) can prove to be a highly challenging endeavor. Moreover, a mouse infestation can cause serious physical damage to a home. In addition, mice in a residence also have the potential for presenting a very…
A truly frustrating experience is having to eradicate mice from your home once they have taken up residence inside. Moreover, the moment mice do make it into your home and begin nesting, they present a threat to the physical integrity of your home. 25 percent of all residential fires trace the origins to rodents that…
An unsettling experience can be the moment you learn that you have a rat infestation in your home or business. If this is the first time you face the prospect of having to deal with rats in your residence or business, you likely have many questions. In addition to the questions, you have the immediate…
Nothing can be more frustrating, hazardous to the physical structure of your home, and dangerous to your health and that of your loved ones than a mouse infestation in your residence. You may be wondering what you can do on your own to eliminate these critters from your house. As you’ve gone about contemplating your…
You have a pair of primary options if you’ve found your home or business infested with mice. First, you can hire a professional to eradicate the vermin from the premises. Second, you can exterminate mice that have infested your home on your own. If you elect to pursue getting rid of a mice infestation on…
There are dozens of different types of mouse species. There are a notable number of mouse species that prefer living in relatively close proximity to human populations. This attraction exists because living near people provides mice with easier access to: Food Water Shelter Natural Mouse Habitats As mentioned a moment ago, there is a multitude…
One of the more troublesome pests that are capable of causing significant harm in home and business settings is the rat. As a home or business owner, it’s important for you to possess some essential, basic information about the rat. This is necessary so that you will be able to timely identify a rat issue…
The reality is that there exist a tremendous number of different individual species of mice in the United States and around the world. In the U.S.A., the most common types of mice found infesting homes are what commonly are classified as field mice and house mice. Because these do tend to be the most common…
People across the United States, including Southern California, face the prospect of rat infestations in their homes and businesses. The surest way of preventing rat infestations in the first instance is to understand some basic information about the rodents. We present here an essential overview of natural enemies and predators of rats. This will help…
One of the more challenging – and sometimes frustrating and even dangerous – situations that can occur in a home or business is a rat that dies somewhere in the residence. There are a number of points to bear in mind when you suspect a rat has died in your home or business. These include…
Addressing a rodent infestation in a residence or business can prove to be more complicated than a person might realize at first blush. Not only does dealing with a rodent infestation requires the physical elimination of rats or mice from the premises, but it also necessitates the cleanup of dangerous droppings or feces and the…
If you are a business owner, you undoubtedly are committed to ensuring all aspects of your venture are in optimal operating condition. Towards that end, you need to include on your overall list of objectives maintaining a rodent-free environment. Although it is impossible to create a perfect shield against rodents in a commercial setting, there…
Rats and mice are potential problems for homeowners and renters in nearly any location in the United States, including across Southern California. When it comes to addressing a rat infestation in a residence (or other building), the best course of action is to stop a rodent invasion before it occurs. As part of such an…
Rats are prone to invade any number of spaces that are under the natural province of humans. These include: Homes Businesses Other buildings (barns, storage units, etc.) Automobiles If you find yourself facing a situation in which a rat has worked its way into your automobile, you may understandably find yourself in something of a…
When homeowners and residential renters are asked to list some of their more significant fears about things that can go awry at their homes, issues pertaining to rodent infestation usually are included. If you are among that group of people, you may wonder what you can do to get rid of rats or mice if…
A mouse infestation in your home can cause damage in a number of different ways. Mice can cause physical damage to the premises. In addition, a mice infestation will result in droppings left in various locations throughout the residence. What many people do not realize is that mouse droppings can end up contaminating fabric of…
In the United States, wintertime means the start of what oftentimes proves to be a challenging rodent invasion in homes and businesses. Every winter, an estimated 21 million homes and untold millions of businesses face rodent infestation as the weather chills. We present you with some essential information about this troublesome wintertime invasion. Types of…
Rodents make up 40 percent of the population of mammals on the planet today. Mice make up a considerable percentage of the rodent family. The Arizona Senora Desert Museum has done extensive research on mice and concludes that these rodents are among the most successful mammal groups on the planet. One of the reasons why…
As a home or business owner, a person needs to be proactive in preventing a rodent infestation. Because of the ubiquitous nature of the house mouse, a residential or commercial property owner needs to have a basic understanding of the essential facts associated with the house mouse. Physical Appearance of a House Mouse The wild…