After my niece had a serious reaction to pest control, I realized that we were up against a few big problems. For starters, I knew that we needed to identify the types of pests that we were struggling with, and then we needed to find green products that would be safe for her to be around. It was a little bit of a challenge at first, but within a few weeks we found a company that offered the perfect line of products. I wanted to start a blog completely committed to pest control, so I started this site. Read more about keeping your family safe here.
Pest prevention treatments work best when there are no ways pests can get around them. For this reason, it's important to take other preventative measures beyond only poisons and traps. When rats and mice still find their way inside your home despite the application of treatments, here are a few ways they could be getting in.
Trees and Bushes
Trees and bushes that grow near your home can provide an alternate path of entry, especially if they're located near doors, windows, or your roof. These plants effectively serve as a bridge, giving rodents ways into your house they could not reach otherwise. One common example is trees that have grown too large; if their branches have grown enough that they constantly brush your roof, they're capable of supporting the weight of even larger rats and mice. Once these rodents get onto your roof, they can find any number of ways inside without ever touching the ground.
The best way to address this is to have your trees and other plants trimmed so that they aren't touching your house. If your trees themselves are suffering from pest infestation, you can be more proactive by addressing the infestation with your pest control professional.
Drains and Vents
Your house has a variety of vents and drains that lead outside and do everything from regulating your drain pipes to venting out furnace gases and draining moisture from your air conditioner. If not properly covered, any of these pipes could become an access point for rodents, especially if these pests have easy access to your roof or walls.
These types of pipes can usually be covered with a wire mesh to allow water and airflow without obstructing what needs to be vented and drained. If you aren't sure what to use, ask your pest control professional. Smaller mice and rats can fit through very small spaces, so a mesh that's too wide may not be effective.
HVAC Ducts
If rats can find their way into areas of your home like your attic or ceilings, they might be able to use your HVAC ducts as a convenient way to travel through your home. This is especially true if any of your ducts are under the floor or if your house has more than one floor. Old and worn ducts are susceptible to this as insulation and seals start to fade and crack, making it easy for rodents to gnaw an opening for themselves.
If you've noticed strange odors coming from your ducts or an increase in allergy symptoms when your heater or air conditioner is running, especially if this is occurring in rooms where there are no signs of infestation, this could be a sign that rodents are using your HVAC ducts to move around inside your house. Along with having these pests removed, consider also having your ducts cleaned to remove any waste and other contaminants.
Call a pest control professional to deal with the rodents in your home.
Share24 January 2022
