Rodents in your home? The thought alone makes you shiver... None of us really wants to talk about them, or admit that we could possibly have a problem with rats or mice inside our home. Yet, we know from experience that many homeowners in Dallas struggle with rodent problems. It doesn't matter the type of home, the zip code or how spotless the home may be, the urban environment we've created here in the city is perfect for rodents and there are a lot of them running around. So you know what? There's no shame in admitting you may have rats in your home. It doesn't mean you're a bad homeowner. Rodents are just a fact of life when it comes to home ownership so prevention and control should simply be on everyone's home checklist.
Now that you're willing to admit that you actually hear their pitter patter of their tiny feet between your walls, or may have even seen one skitter across your floor, it's time to figure out how the heck they got there! Did you know rats can squeeze their bodies through a hole as small as the size of a quarter? If you walk around the exterior of your home, do you notice any large cracks or small holes? That’s a possible entry point. Garages are also an entry for rodents. Rodents can also climb like Spiderman. They will climb your gutters onto your roof to get into your home through any holes existing around your roof or eaves.
Tips for keeping rats and mice from nesting in your home:
- Keep your crawl space clean. They like to use the insulation in your home to nest. If you see insulation hanging down in your attic, have it repaired. Also patch any holes in the crawl space. A tidy space deters rodents!
- Patch holes around the perimeter of your home. Close up any hole ¼” or larger. Also replace broken vent screens around the foundation and the roofline.
- Check the weather seal of your garage door. Even when closed, they can still sneak underneath a door that is not tightly closed.
- Have any trees limbs trimmed that touch the roof of your home. Call a certified arborist to keep trees trimmed properly.
- Clean out the garage and seal your belongings. Clothes, papers, books and other items that sit undisturbed in your garage are just nesting items to rodents.
- Keep organic garden fertilizers in a tightly lidded container. These fertilizers are very attractive to rodents and they'll will eat them!
- Have backyard chickens? Make sure their food is kept in tightly sealed containers and that the coop is tightly secured every night.
Call a professional quickly if you suspect you may have rodents. Simply putting out traps might not solve the problem entirely: Rodents reproduce quickly and traps alone may not keep up with their breeding rates. Here at SafeHaven Pest Control, we provide routine rodent management monthly, every-other-month or quarterly depending on your needs. We will even detect and handle severe infestations.
For details about our services, visit our Rodent Services page, or contact us to inspect your home.
