May 7, 2024 | DIY Pest Control, Florida Pest Control
House mice, roof rats, Norway rats, and other rodents seek our homes as a place for shelter to breed and search for an available food source to survive. These creatures are known to contaminate our environments and spread diseases such as plague, tularemia, and hantavirus. Rodents will often chew through insulation and electrical wiring, creating the risk of a fire. Placing do-it-yourself rodent-proofing measures throughout your home will protect your property and family from these pests.
Do-it-Yourself Rodent Proofing Tips
Rats and mice seek out food, water, and shelter in homes, so it’s important to eliminate these factors from your property to avoid an infestation. Let’s review our DIY rodent-proofing tips for your Florida property:
- Rodents can enter through the smallest opening, so inspect your home’s doors and windows for holes, gaps, and loose or broken seals, repairing where necessary.
- Remove any clutter from your home, including old newspapers, books, magazines, and cardboard boxes you don’t utilize anymore.
- Always keep your yard well-maintained by mowing on a regular basis, keeping shrubs and trees trimmed, and removing yard debris.
- If you store lumber or firewood, place it at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground.
- Check for any excess moisture throughout your home; repair any leaky pipes and eliminate excess moisture in your crawlspace through crawlspace encapsulation.
If you’ve noticed signs of rodents or would like extra help with rodent-proofing, call a pest control company near you! Professionals will provide you with a free analysis and a recommended rodent control treatment and prevention plan!
Apr 25, 2024 | DIY Pest Control, Florida Pest Control
Rats are practically year-round creatures in Florida, seeking your home for a warm place to nest and find a food source. Once these rodents find their way inside your home, they will reproduce quickly, making it difficult to remove them. Here is what attracts rats to your home and easy prevention tips to avoid a future infestation!
What Attracts Rats To Your Home
Dirty & Cluttered Home
Rats are attracted to homes that are both dirty and cluttered. These wildlife creatures look for leftover food crumbs and spills for their food source. Likewise, rats tend to utilize piles of old newspapers or cardboard boxes to create a nest and hide out.
Easy Access Inside
Rats can enter homes through a gap or hole the size of a quarter! If any openings are found, they’ll use it to their advantage to make their way inside your home. You can often find these openings around your foundation, doors, and windows.
Cluttered Yard
Your yard is the first line of defense for avoiding rodents but there could be factors attracting them right onto your property. Leaf piles and deep mulch are the perfect materials for rats nesting sites. Likewise, dirty outdoor grills and open garbage cans can be an invitation for rats to scavenge and find a food source.
Available Water Source
Rats need water to survive and will look for any source available in and around your home. If there is a constant supply of water dripping from your pipes, that’s enough for rats to move into your home. Common areas where rats find water include leaky bathroom faucets, pipes in your basement, hose faucets, and even HVAC systems.
Access to Food
One of the biggest rat attractions is any available food source. Leftover crumbs, drink spills, and open food containers in your pantry will all attract rats into your home. Rats are not picky eaters and are attracted to all kinds of food, including meats, vegetables, fruit, and more.
Preventing Rats from Your Florida Home
Having a rat infestation can be alarming, not only because of the damage they can cause but also the diseases they can spread. One of the best ways to keep rats from entering your property is to place the preventative measures to deter them in the first place. Consider these tips and tricks to avoid rats:
- Empty your garbage on a regular basis and always use a tight-fitting lid or lock it.
- After each meal, make sure to clean up food crumbs and drink spills. Don’t forget to wipe your countertops and stovetops of food too.
- Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight; instead, wash, dry, and put them away.
- Repair windows and doors, making sure there are no open gaps, holes, and loose or broken seals.
- If you have pets, consider storing their food in plastic containers with a lid instead of the bag it comes in; always bring in your outside pet food and water bowls at night.
- Check your exterior home for any cracks or gaps that rats could fit into, seal these openings as soon as possible.
- Reduce all standing water on your property by fixing leaky pipes and eliminating moisture in your crawlspace through encapsulation.
- Maintain your yard by keeping your grass mowed, trimming back shrubbery, and removing debris.
If you’ve noticed rodent activity at your property or would like to start rodent control now, it’s best to call a pest control company near you. These professionals can provide you with a thorough inspection, rodent identification, and a rodent treatment and removal plan based on your needs.
Jan 24, 2024 | Florida Pest Control
Contamination, disease, and property destruction are all possible in your home if a rodent invades it! Rodents, including mice and rats, can be destructive creatures and once they’ve invaded your home, it can be difficult to remove them since they reproduce so quickly! One of the best ways to ensure these pests don’t enter your Florida home is taking the necessary precautions to avoid them in the first place. We break down the types of rodents to be cautious of and our best do-it-yourself rodent prevention tips to keep rodents out of your Sunrise home.
Types of Florida Rodents
- House Mouse: Preferring dark, secluded areas in your home, these rodents are found in crawlspaces, basements, and attics. Mice adapt quickly to our human environments, seeking out food and water for survival. These rodents are also skilled climbers and can jump a foot high to reach isolated areas!
- Roof Rats: With their padded feet, roof rats will climb into our homes at the highest points, including our attics, eaves, and roof lines. These rodents typically live in colonies and stick together once they’ve found a place to habitat.
- Norway Rats: One of the largest rodent species, Norway rats are nocturnal and will seek food sources at night, especially in your trash can. Once they’ve infested a home, they are known to gnaw on furniture, walls, plastic, lead pipes, and even electrical wires.
Preventing Rodents in Sunrise
Rodents are attracted to food, water, and available shelter, so it’s crucial to eliminate these factors from your property to avoid a rat and mouse infestation. Check out our DIY rodent prevention tips for your Florida property:
- Seal and repair windows and doors that are loose or have a broken seal.
- Utilize screens on doors and windows, especially for those that tend to be open.
- Inspect the exterior of your home for any cracks or gaps and seal them immediately.
- Avoid leaving your pet food and water bowls outside overnight and store pet food in plastic containers with lids.
- Repair any leaky pipes and eliminate excess moisture in your crawlspace; we recommend enclosing crawlspaces to moisture issues and help eliminate household pests.
- Keep your yard well-maintained by mowing your grass, trimming back shrubbery, and removing debris on a regular basis.
- If you store lumber on your yard, look to place it at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground.
- Have a regular cleaning schedule that includes vacuuming, mopping, and sweeping.
If you suspect you have a rodent infestation or are interested in getting ahead of preventing them, call your local pest control company. Professionals will provide you with a thorough inspection, identification of the rodent, possible entry points, and a rodent control and prevention plan.
Nov 16, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Rodents, including rats, mice, and squirrels, look indoors for a place to nest and food. Once these wildlife creatures get inside your Florida home, they can wreak havoc, destroying insulation, chewing electrical wires, and contaminating food. Prevention is critical when it comes to protecting your home against rodents, especially as the weather cools down and they begin looking indoors for shelter. Check out our rodent prevention tips below.
Florida Rodent Prevention Tips
Start Rodent Prevention Outside
Your yard is the first defense against rodents, making it essential to place outdoor preventative measures to deter them away. Consider these DIY tips:
- Remove potential nesting sites such as leaf piles and deep mulch
- Fix gaps in trailer skirting and use flashing around the base of your home
- Keep outdoor cooking areas and grills clean
- Remove any old tires, vehicles, etc. From your property
- Elevate woodpiles, hay, and garbage cans at least 1 foot off the ground
- Keep your garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids
- Seal holes or gaps outside of your home with steel wool or metal sheeting
Keep Tidy Indoors
Your home can provide the perfect place for rodents to inhabit, so removing those attractants from inside your home will help keep these creatures out. You can do this by:
- Clean up leftover food crumbs and spills after each meal
- Store food in plastic or metal containers that have tight-fitting lids
- After cooking, wipe down your stovetop and countertops
- Wash your dirty dishes and put them away after each meal
- Keep your home decluttered by removing old newspapers or magazines and storing items in plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes
- Regularly vacuum, sweep, and dust throughout your home
- Remove excess water from inside by fixing any leaky pipes and keeping your attics and crawlspaces dry
Consider Professional Help
If you suspect rodents are inside your home, it’s important to reach out to your professional pest control company. These professionals will be able to inspect and identify the rodent that’s invaded your property. They will also be able to safely remove these creatures, identify areas of entry, and provide a rodent control and prevention plan for your home to avoid further infestations.
Oct 31, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Punta Gorda Rodents
Rodents are a common pest Floridians will deal with. Rodents, like rats and mice, invade homes in search of water, shelter, and food to survive. Once rodents have infested your Punta Gorda home, it can be difficult to remove them as they will often reproduce quickly! It’s important for Punta Gorda homeowners to understand what attracts rodents to their homes and how to prevent them from infesting.
What Attracts Rodents
- Food: The most common reasons rodents will invade your property is if they find food. Both rats and mice will eat anything you leave laying around inside and outside of your home, including pet food.
- Warmth: Rodents like a warm, comfortable place to inhabit, which is why they often look to our homes to find it. Common places these creatures will inhabit include attics, sheds, basements, and other structures that are dry and warm enough to make a nest.
- Water: Like any pest, rodents need water to survive. Mice and rats are in constant search for water, which our homes have plenty of supply of. These rodents will take advantage of leaky pipes, bowls of water for our pets, leaking sprinklers, fountains, and birdbaths.
How to Prevent Rodents
Dealing with rodents in your home is less than ideal. Luckily, there are do-it-yourself preventative measures you can place throughout your home to keep these pests from invading. Consider the following rodent control tips:
- Empty your garbage regularly, utilizing a tight lid or lock
- Utilize screens on vents, chimneys, windows, and doors
- Keep your home free of clutter from paper, fabric, and other materials used for nesting
- Seal any entry points leading inside your home with metal mesh
- Rinse food and drink containers before throwing them away
- Avoid leaving pet food and water out overnight
- After each meal, wipe down your countertops and clean up any spills or crumbs
- Repair any leaky pipes found in your home
- Keep firewood elevated and stored at least 20 feet away from your home.
In summary, what attracts rodents to your Punta Gorda home is food, water, and shelter. If you suspect a rodent infestation, contact your local pest control company for help. These professionals will thoroughly inspect your home and safely remove any rodents that are found on your property.
