How do rodents get inside your rodent-proof home? Clark, your friendly pest, termite, and grounds care expert, has long faced off with these small and elusive adversaries. As a result, we know where rodents will try and enter your home.
The threat of rodents gaining access to your home, especially during the winter months, is eye-catching. The National Pest Management Association estimates that 24 percent of homeowners in the United States will report a rodent infestation, primarily house mice, over the winter months.
Rodents, like most pests, simply want a warm place that is in proximity to readily available to nesting materials, along with food and water sources. Winter’s colder temperatures and inclement weather also reduce available food sources that rodents rely upon.
10 common rodent entry points and how to block them
- Gaps the size of a dime or larger around the perimeter of your home should be filled in with heavy duty weather-proof products.
- Firewood, which provides a convenient harborage location for rodents and other pests, should be stacked away from your house.
- Window fans and window-mounted air conditioning units should be removed, if possible.
- Gaps around entry points for utility lines, HVAC, and plumbing should be checked to ensure they are sealed properly.
- Door and window frames should be inspected to ensure they are in good condition.
- Door sweeps should be inspected and replaced, if worn.
- Garage doors should be inspected to ensure they are properly aligned. A gap as small as a quarter-inch can provide rodents with access.
- Garage, sliding patio, and exterior doors should remain closed to deny rodents access to your home.
- Vertical walls, tree limbs, and utility wires can provide routes for rodents, which are capable climbers, to access your home along the roof line. Keep tree limbs trimmed.
- Roofing and dryer vents should have screens installed to prevent rodents from entering.
Once inside your home, rodents will explore it – using wall voids, utility pipes and wires, and heating and cooling duct work – while searching for food. Wall and cabinet voids near kitchen appliances (e.g., refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves) and the pantry are also popular nesting sites for mice.
Rodent control solutions from Clark Pest Control
The threats presented by rodents are numerous. They can contaminate food sources and serve as vectors for many disease pathogens, such as Salmonella and the potentially fatal hantavirus. Mice and rats can cause serious structural damage by chewing through insulation, wallboards, wood, and electrical wiring.
Keeping rodents out of your home will also save you money and a significant headache. It can be less expensive to invest in a rodent exclusion program than it is to remove them once they get inside.
Stop rodents from entering your home and call California’s trusted, friendly pest, rodent, and termite control expert, Clark, at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com.
Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.
Clark’s commitment to safety
Clark Pest Control remains committed to safeguarding your home from pests during these challenging times. Our service technicians use such personal protective equipment as gloves, masks, and respirators, they practice social distancing, and they adhere strictly to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when servicing inside or outside your home.