Each year, over 21 million homeowners call upon professionals to assist them in dealing with a rodent infestation in their residences. In addition to this large number of people, there are millions of homeowners that elect to undertake rodent eradication on their own. These tallies help to underscore how serious the extent of rodent infestation is in the United States. Rather than attempt to effectively eliminate mice, rats, or other rodents from a house after infestation, the best course is to prevent these animals for nesting in a residence in the first instance. There are some specific tips and tactics that you will want to apply in order to effectively prevent a rodent infestation in the first instance.
Seal up Potential Entry Points
At the heart of any campaign to rodent-proof your home is to ensure that all potential entry points into the residence are fully and properly sealed. A number of considerations come into play when fully, properly sealing possible rodent portals into your home. First, you must understand that rodents of all types are ardent gnawers. By this, it means that rodents can chew through a myriad of materials in order to gain entrance into your home. These include:
- Wood
- Plastic
- Brick
- Plaster
- Sheetrock
- Old cement
- Improperly cured cement
Second, you need to appreciate how physically nimble rodents can be when they desire to enter into your home. A mouse is capable of getting through a hole or crack that is no larger than a U.S. dime. Similarly, a rat is able to push through a hole or crack that is the size of a U.S. quarter.
The most ideal substance to block a rodent’s passageway into your residence is properly cured cement. This means cement that is properly composed and permitted to dry appropriately. If this is not the case, cement loses at least some its strength and becomes vulnerable to rodent attack.
Rodents are also inventive when it comes to finding potential passageways into a home. In addition to creating some of their own, they will also take advantage of even small gaps that can be found around windows and doors as well as at those junctures at which utilities enter into a home (including pipes and electrical wires).
A good number of different types of rodents have no issue with climbing. Bear in mind that rats and mice are part of the same biological family as squirrels. Thus, when dealing with plugging holes and block entry points, you need to think all the way up to roof level.
Finally, when it comes to entry into a home, some rodents will take advantage or sewer and other types of pipes servicing a residence. Indeed, one of the most common types of rats in the United States is the brown rat, an animal is also known as a sewer rat.
Properly Store Food Inside a Residence
In addition to ensuring that potential entry points are sealed, you also need to be certain that food consistently is properly stored inside a residence. Ideally, foodstuffs should be stored in very sturdy plastic or (ideally) in glass containers. You should not leave pet food left out between actual feedings, no matter how much your furry family member may desire.
Eliminate Water Drips and Puddles
If there are even small amounts of standing or dripping water in or around your home, you need to eliminate it. Not only are rodents attracted to the prospect of food in a residence, but water also draws them as well.
Cleanup and Maintain a Tidy Residence
There are many reasons for keeping your home clean and tidy. Guarding against rats is an important one. Pay particular attention to keeping the kitchen in a clean and kept condition as part of your overall tactical campaign to prevent a rodent infestation at your home.
Tightly Seal Waste Containers
Keep trashcans inside your home and garbage cans outside the structure tightly sealed. These waste containers can also prove to be strong attractions to rodents if they are not tightly sealed.
Eliminate Clutter Inside and Outside a Residence
Avoid allowing clutter of any type to build up inside or outside your home. Areas that can become particularly prone to clutter are closets, basements, attics, and garages. If you must stow certain things for a real purpose, keep these items stored neatly in sealed boxes or similar types of receptacles.
Keep Foliage and Other Items Away from Exterior Walls of Residence
An early line of defense against rodent infestation is maintaining a sense of control over your lawn and gardens. Ideally, don’t place plants of any type directly against the exterior walls of your home. These provide cover for rodents intent on finding passage inside your home.
Keep firewood stored a couple of feet above the ground and away from the exterior walls of your home. Keep your lawn and garden plots in good repair and well-tended. In other words, keep your lawn well mowed and don’t let a garden plot become overrun with weeds.
By implementing these tips and tactics, you will be taking steps that can effectively prevent a rodent infestation. You need to be consistent when it comes to following these tips and tactics, a process that includes regular thorough inspections of your property to identify any signs of rodents on the premises.