Rodents are among the most high-risk pests that you will ever encounter. Due to their small sizes, they can squeeze into your house from barely noticeable entry points, and they can gnaw almost everything in sight. From your interior fittings to your furniture to your electronic appliances to your clothing to your food supplies, rats and mice can destroy it all. Not only that, but they will also mark everything with their saliva, fur, feces, and urine. As rodents carry disease-causing bacteria and viruses, the resulting contamination can bring about serious health problems.

Rodents have a well-developed sense of smell, and they can track and follow pheromones secreted by other rats. So, if you have one or two rats in your house, you can soon expect the numbers to double or treble and keep growing. And, once you have a pattern of rats drawing other rats to your home, it can be an uphill task to get rid of them.

To avoid becoming a statistic in rodent-caused destruction, you must take proactive steps in keeping rodents out of your house. As rodent-proofing your home can be difficult and time-consuming, you should search online for rodent control near me and hire an experienced local company to undertake it for you.

The most effective rodent control method is preventing the entry of rodents in your home in the first place. Here are four ways in which the company team will do that:

1. Seal up entry points

The first step in rodent control is carrying out a detailed search inside and around your home, and noting the number of the holes, cracks, and openings through which rats and mice could potentially enter your home. The company team will then implement the appropriate solutions to seal up these entry points. They may close smaller holes with steel wool or copper mesh and larger holes with metal sheeting or hardware clothing, and seal the openings further with caulk or mortar.

They may fix metal plates to door and window edges to prevent rodents from gnawing holes in them, and fit caps over chimneys and metal rings around vertical pipes to discourage rodents from climbing up them. Painting glossy paint across the bottom halves of walls can also prevent rodents from clambering over them to enter your house.

2. Neutralize rodent pheromones

After sealing all possible entry points, the rodent control team will clean and decontaminate the areas around them with water, disinfectant, and bleach to get rid of any lingering rodent pheromones. That will ensure that there is no longer any scent for other rats to follow and track all the way to your house.

You will soon notice a significant reduction in the numbers of rats that congregate at your place. To keep them down, have the rodent control team carry out periodical clean-ups.

3. Clean up the garden

Trees, shrubs, and creepers that grow too close to your house can serve as conduits for rats and mice to gain entry into your home. To prevent that, the rodent control company team will cut back tree branches, trim shrubs, and remove creepers that climb up your walls. That will make it harder for rodents to get in.

If you have heaped leaves or compost piles close to your house, they will move them further away. On your part, keep the grass mowed and, if you have fruit trees, gather and dispose of fallen fruit. Don’t leave grains in the bird feeder or pet food lying around. If you keep garbage bins outside, make sure they have well-secured lids. You don’t want to make it easy for rats and mice to find food on your property.

4. Remove water sources

As rodents thrive in areas with easy access to water, it is advisable not to have any open water bodies too close to your home. If there are leaking pipes, faucets, and drains, the rodent control team may be able to fix them and make them rodent proof.

By implementing the combination of these four rodent control preventive measures, the company team can prevent a full-scale rodent invasion on your property. You will be able to safeguard your home, your belongings, and your health.