Rodents can cause serious damage of all types of structures, but luckily with a little preparation work you can rodent proof your home this winter and prevent those rats, mice and animals from invading.
How to Rodent Proof Your Home This Winter
Rodents inside your attic and walls can cause damage to your insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, and other structural areas of your home. And let’s not even discuss the foul odors of rodent urine and feces that accompany them wherever they can find shelter. Rodents also serve as vectors for several diseases.
Preventing them from entering a structure is always more effective than trying to eliminate them after they have gotten inside and started nesting. Luckily, with a little preparation work you can rodent-proof your home this winter and prevent those rats, mice, and other pests from invading.
Control rodents in your yard, and you will have won half the battle. This is how you will best be able to rodent-proof your home this winter!
Control Rodents in Your Yard
Keeping rodents under control outdoors will only help you keep them from coming into your home.
- Be sure to keep all trash covered and sealed.
- Keep your lawn mowed, and foliage trimmed back at least an inch or two from the side of your house.
- Get rid of any clutter in your yard that might seem inviting for rodents to take shelter in.
- Get rid of debris, weeds, leaf piles, etc. Keep firewood at least 20 feet away from your home.
Control Rodents in Your Home
Even if you keep the cleanest yard in town, there’s a chance rodents will find your home inviting somehow. They want to come inside to find food and get warm in your home.
Sanitation is a key. Keep your home and kitchen clean and tidy. Vacuum, mop and sweep regularly. Careful not to leave out food (including pet food) and not to leave the sink full of dirty dishes. Keep indoor trash covered and sealed and remove it regularly. Repair plumbing leaks as rodents will seek out water sources.
Here are 3 Easy Things to Check to Rodent Proof Your House:
- Do a perimeter inspection and check for any cracks, crevices, entry points.
- Plumbing and Electrical penetrations
- Other openings or damaging in siding
- Repair any siding issues, plug up entries with copper mesh/copper wool and foam. Look for openings larger than ¼” and plug them.
- Screen over vent openings with aluminum screening or hardware cloth.
Rodent Proof Your Dryer Vent
If you’ve had rodents in your dryer vents, clean and disinfect them thoroughly. Be sure plants, shrubs, tree branches, etc. are trimmed back from the side of your house and away from any vents, including your dryer vent. Install a dryer vent cover or screen the cover over. Plug any gaps around your vent with copper wool.
Rodent Proof Insulation
As long as homeowners have been installing insulation, rodents have been getting into it as a safe harborage space. They can chew up the insulation and use it as nesting material. Companies have done all they can to market “rodent-proof” insulation, but the reality is that no such thing exists, at least not yet. If rodents want to gnaw through insulation, they will find a way. Even foam insulation.
Insulation containing boric acid has also been attempted to keep rodents at bay by trying to poison them when they eat it, but it has not proven significantly effective, either.
If you want to keep rodents out of your attic, you need to take the necessary steps above to keep them out of your house and yard altogether.
How to Rodent Proof Your Garage
Be sure that your garage and other storage areas are not inviting for rodents to start building a nests or finding harborage from the weather. Leaving your garage cluttered and dusty is the same as rolling out the red carpet for rodents to move in.
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- Sweep and organize your garage and storage areas.
- Have a yard sale if you need to get rid of things.
- Install shelving if you haven’t already.
- Keep stored items up off the floor using pallets, as needed.
How to Rodent Proof Your Storage Areas
Out of sight, out of mind. Remember your stored food and other valuables that you keep stored in your home or in storage sheds. You can bet that rats and mice will find these areas and use them to nest and take shelter from the heat and cold. Make sure your cupboards and all other storage areas are clean, wiped down, swept, etc., and well-organized and inspected as an important first step in keeping rodents away!
- Store dry food items, pet food in tightly covered metal, glass, or plastic containers.
- Whenever possible, avoid using cardboard boxes for storage. Rodents can easily gnaw their way inside and start building a nest.
- Keep storage items well sealed to help prevent rodents from nesting.
- Whenever possible, keep stored items in your basement, attic, storage shed or other storage area up off the ground by using shelves or pallets.
Follow these easy steps this fall to winter-proof your home from rodents and keep other unwanted guests out.
There’s a lot you can do to help prevent rodents from infesting your home, but sometimes the task becomes overwhelming and you find yourself dealing with an infestation anyway. Save yourself plenty of time, stress, and money, by calling professionals to get the job done right.
You can always call us at Full Scope Pest Control for a free evaluation and inspection! If you think you have a rat, mouse, or other animal living inside your home or garage, call us for professional rodent control solutions.
Call us today at 832-898-0190 or email us at [email protected].
Our Promise:
Full Scope Pest Control will give you the highest level of professionalism and pest knowledge. With over 30 years in the industry, we know our rodents and how to prevent and eliminate them!
Services Full Scope Pest Control Provides You:
- Residential Pest Control
- Rodent Control and animal Exclusion
- Bed Bug Elimination
- Commercial Pest Control
- Fire Ant Control
- Mosquito Misting Systems
- Mosquito Barrier Mist Spray
- German Roach Control
- Termite Inspections WDI Reports
- Termite Elimination
Looking for rat and mouse control in Splendora, Cleveland, Conroe, Roman Forest, Kingwood, or Humble, Texas? call the professional team at FullScope Pest Control.
Call or Text for a Free Consultation, Inspection and Quote at 832-898-0190 or email us at [email protected].
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