Episode Details

You may be tempted to stop and admire a cute fancy rat at a pet store, but the rodents you find in your house are a much less welcome sight, and for good reason. Wild mice and rats eat your food, gnaw everything around them, and leave their droppings everywhere - worse yet, they pose a serious risk of spreading disease or starting house fires! Luckily, there are many things you can do to prevent rodent infestations before they start causing you trouble.

Over 21 million homes in the U.S. face rodent infestations each year, with most occurring during the winter and early spring. Known to spread serious diseases such as hantavirus and salmonella, which are transmitted through excretions and saliva, mice and rats can also cause structural damage and increase the risk of house fires, as they are capable of gnawing through insulation, pipes, and wires.

Unfortunately, mice and rats are master infiltrators; rats can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter, and mice can fit their bodies into openings no wider than a dime. But don’t worry. Experts from Florida-based 911 Pest Control say that there are many things you can do to stop those furry little thieves from wreaking havoc in your home in the first place.

For example, installing door sweeps on exterior doors, repairing damaged screens, screening vents and openings to chimneys, and sealing exterior holes and cracks with caulk or steel wool - materials that rodents can’t chew through - will stop mice and rats in their tracks.

Storing food in airtight containers, disposing of garbage regularly, fixing leaks, and keeping attics, basements, and crawl spaces ventilated and dry will also deter the pests, since you’ll be making your home a lot less inviting for them.

Finally, keep firewood at least 20 feet from your house and trim the vegetation around your property. That will limit the hiding places that rodents love.

When all else fails and you spot mice or rats in your home in spite of your best efforts, it’s time to call a licensed pest company, as an established rodent population may be challenging and dangerous to eliminate without proper training and equipment. These experts are capable of carrying out a thorough property inspection of every room, including small, hard-to-reach crevices behind appliances and cracks in foundations that you may miss.

But don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all solution. Make sure your technician proposes a customized treatment plan, as this offers higher chances of actually getting rid of the pests. Companies that tailor their services like this often have multiple options for treatments, including eco-friendly or child-safe traps and sealants.

Once the main infestation has been dealt with, you should also consider asking for a thorough sanitation of the parts of the property that were invaded by the pests. This will remove droppings and other hazardous residues that remain infectious for long periods of time.

Mice and rats can be a pain, but they’re not the end of the world as long as you have the right people helping you. 911 Pest Experts City: Palmetto Bay Address: 9555 Southwest 175th Terrace #202 Website: https://911homehelps.com/ Phone: +1 786 269 6959 Email: info@911homehelps.com