Just because something is covered in fur does not mean it’s friendly and wants to cuddle you. This is most obvious with larger furry creatures such as bears, wolves, and coyotes, but a bit less obvious with home-invading pests like rodents. Although some rodents are kept as pets and can be very affectionate, wild rodents that invade homes are by no means friendly or loving. If you are looking for some ways to keep furry invaders out of your Mooresville home this season, here are four easy and effective prevention tips to try.
Rodents Around Mooresville
Our area is home to many different species of rodents, most of which are not known for invading homes, but the only two that invade regularly are rats and mice. These furry pests are unique in that they prefer living indoors rather than out in the wild.
Using their sharp teeth, dexterity, and heightened intellect, rats and mice create pathways throughout homes by chewing holes through walls, doors, and other interior barriers. Once they have established themselves, these pests then find clever ways to steal food and water from pantries, off countertops, inside kitchen sinks, and wherever else they can find it.
Factors That Attract Rodents To A Home
Rodents judge a home by what it offers them. If food is hard to find, water is scarce, and it isn’t anywhere suitable to build a nest, they will pack up and move quickly after invading. The only problem is that homes lacking these three necessities are rare. Most homes have pantries that can be chewed into, leaks that can be used as a water source, and wall/ceiling voids for rodents to hide and build their nests.
Our First Rodent Exclusion Tip: Keep Your Home Clean
A dirty home provides rodents with places to hide, food to eat, and liquids to drink. By cleaning your home thoroughly and regularly, you restrict rodents from many of the things they need. When cleaning your home, do not neglect to get beneath large kitchen appliances, furniture, and in other hard to reach areas that rodents might use to hide.
Our Second Rodent Exclusion Tip: Make Sure Your Home Is Sealed
If a rodent cannot find a way to invade your home, infestation problems won’t happen in the first place. For this reason, making sure your home’s exterior is properly sealed is vitally important. Here are some excellent ways to do this:
- Fill holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior with a caulk gun.
- Repair damage to window/door screens.
- Replace damaged weather stripping.
- Make sure all of your exterior doors have door sweeps.
- Keep unscreened doors and windows closed when not in use.
Our Third Rodent Exclusion Tip: Invest In Proper Food Storage
The last thing you want is for rodents to be able to find a quick meal inside your home. To reduce their access to snacks and quick meals, practice proper food storage. Use Tupperware containers to seal away leftovers after meals, be careful not to leave food out on countertops, and repackage food stored in cardboard and plastic bags into larger glass, metal, or heavy plastic containers. As a bonus tip, make sure all of your trash cans have tight-fitting, rodent-proof lids.
Our Fourth Rodent Exclusion Tip: Call A Professional
There is no better way to handle rodents than with professional pest control services. At Lake Norman Home Services, we understand how difficult rodents are to exclude and eliminate. This is why we only hire the most qualified pest technicians in Mooresville and use the finest industrial-grade pest control products on the market.
Contact us today for any questions about our rodent control plans or to schedule your Mooresville home for a pest inspection.