While high heating bills, insulation errors, or HVAC maintenance might be the problems popping in your mind right now, don’t forget that rodent infestation is also one of the most common winter woes. If you go by the survey, more than 40% of rodent issues occur during fall and winter. Why? It’s because they begin their search for a warm and cozy shelter, food, and water.
Although it might not concern many, if you consider the thousands of dollars of property damages every year and the health implications, surely you would take this issue seriously. But how to determine whether your house has rodent infestation?
Don’t worry! The following tips will help you find if you have rats/mice in your house. Let’s get started!
Here’s What You Must Look For:
Mice/Rat Droppings
Source: sinaimg.cn
This is one of the most common signs of rodent infestation. If you find 3-6 mm long pellets left behind in places near food like the kitchen or pantries, this means they are already inhabiting your house. Also, look for this sign of rodent infestation in places like a sink, cardboard boxes, or the top of wall beams. This is by far an effective rodent pest control method to locate the presence of these nasty rodents.
Gnaw Marks
Source: domesblissity.com
As mentioned above, rodents can cause severe property damage. They love chewing any material, including plastic and lead pipes. Their idea is to find food and water. Some rat varieties can also gnaw fires, which can increase the risk of fire.
Nesting Areas
Since rats don’t like disturbance, they always nest in an area that’s secluded and dark. In comparison, house mice love to build nests in shredded packing materials, wall insulation, fabrics, and other similar materials. If you find such materials scattered inside your home, it is more likely that the rodents have attacked your place.
Track/Rub Marks
Since rats love to move around, they tend to leave marks behind. Ideally, you’ll find these dark grease or dirt marks along walls or floors.
Noises
Unlike other pests, rodents tend to make strange noises in the walls. It is usually during the night. This could be due to rodents scurrying around the house. And if you have an attic, trust me, it will be their favorite place. This is why experts recommend ventilating and keeping these areas dry.
An Actual Mice/Rat
Source: elnacional.cat
Remember, if you spot one mouse in your house, there are likely others as well. And since they breed pretty fast within three weeks, a female mouse can give birth to half a dozen babies that will be loitering around your house. Can you afford to handle so many at once?
As long as you know all the signs to look out for, it won’t be long that you identify any rodent infestation in your home. It is essential to take care of this issue. Otherwise, you’ll have to face negative consequences, including disease spread, illness, or contamination.
But hold on!
You might not even see a rodent unless the infestation is severe. So, it would be an excellent choice to contact a professional and let them screen your home once to spot any signs. Once you do that, you can opt for other measures to restrict the spread of rodents in your abode right from the start.
Do you know what that could be? Let’s help you with that!
Tips to Stop Rodents’ Entry in Your Abode
Source: ytimg.com
- Cover all the holes inside and outside to the rodents at bay. Sometimes all you might need to do is plug small holes with the steel wool. Or patch holes inside or outside your walls.
- It would be a good idea to remove any probable rodent nesting sites from your home. And this includes those scattered leaf piles and deep mulch.
- Try to keep the areas near your house dry and clean. For example, clean any food or water areas in or around your home.
- Keep all the food supplies in tight-fitting containers.
- Try and stop keeping food for outdoor birds if you are in the midst of controlling the infestation.
Wrapping up
Rodents are exceptionally comfortable living with humans. They get attracted to shelters that allow them to survive. They will particularly enter your house if you have leaky pipes. So, before they inhabit your home and create a stir, spot the signs mentioned above and take the necessary action to avoid any costly repairs.
Let’s not forget that a rodent infestation is not only gross but a nuisance to your everyday life. So, take care of them before they start causing health issues or property damages.