Rodents can be both damaging and disease-causing creatures if found around the home. It is not difficult for these creatures to make it inside your place. Small openings would be enough for these creatures to make it inside. In McKinney, rodent infestation is quite common, and rodents usually come by to get food sources and seek shelter, especially during wintertime.
If they make it inside your home, look for spaces that remain unoccupied, as they usually reside in places where no one can find them. Rats, mice, and squirrels all come under rodents. They all have sharp front teeth that they use to gnaw on different objects around the house, thereby leading to structural damage.
Thus, if you want to spot them, look for gnawing marks on various wooden objects around the house. If you hear scratching noises, it must be from these creatures. Furthermore, they can infect food items and cause diseases in humans.
Thus, it is essential to get them out of your property before they cause havoc. An Exterminator in McKinney can help you get the rodents out of your place using different techniques.
How can you prevent rodent infestation?
There are various things that you can do; let us look at the ways to prevent the infestation:
Look for the holes and gaps in different structures inside your home:
If you see holes in different places, they might be small or large, but both are enough for the rodent to enter your place. Here is where to look for these creatures:
- Check the fireplace.
- Look under and inside your kitchen cabinet areas.
- Fireplaces can also be where they might be hiding.
- Around washing machines, pipes under the sink area can be found as well.
- Attic areas are also an excellent place to reside.
- The basement might be an excellent place to hide.
- Sewer lines, laundry rooms, behind different appliances.
Outside your home:
- The roof area needs to be checked thoroughly, including soffits, gables, etc.
- The foundation of the home and the ground area need to be looked into.
- Crawl spaces are also suitable for these little creatures to hide.
- Cables, plumbing, and electrical areas all need to be checked.
- Holes should be fixed, and gaps need to be fixed:
- Use steel wool to close the small holes. You can also use caulk to keep the steel wool in place.
- Hardware cloth, metals, and screens can be used to fix or cover the holes that are larger in size.
- Flashing can be used at the base of the house, and gaps can be fixed in the same manner.
- Garages and outbuildings need to be sealed to be on the safer side.
Water and food sources need to be covered:
As discussed, they usually infest homes in the first place to look for food and water only; thus, it is essential that these things are adequately covered.
- If the food is spilled, do not wait out, and do the cleaning immediately.
- If you have pet food, do not let it remain outside as its smell can attract rodents really easily.
- Once you are done eating your food, clean the dishes right away, and do not let them sit in the sink for too long.
Nesting sites should also be sealed:
- Grills that are on the outside should remain clean.
- Bird feeders need to be kept away from your place; squirrel guards can be used to keep them away.
- Vehicles that are abandoned should be kept at a certain distance from the house.
Exterminators can get rodents out!
If the rodents make it to your property, it can be challenging to locate them and find them all. Professionals can look into this thoroughly and get these little animals out. It is essential you contact a professional as soon as you notice the infestation because waiting for it out can lead to a lot of damage around the house.