Norway rats, roof rats, house mice, and more rodents are looking to your home for food and a place to nest! These creatures will often look to your attic, basements, crawlspace, and even inside your walls to breed, search for food and water, and sleep.
It can be extremely alarming if these rodents get inside your home, as they are known to contaminate your environment and spread diseases such as hantavirus, plague, and tularemia. Rodents will chew through insulation and electrical wiring, creating a fire hazard. Additionally, they bring an increased risk of exposure to fleas, ticks, lice, mites, and more. The best way to keep rodents out of your home year-round is to place rodent prevention measures throughout your property. Consider these rodent control tips for your Florida home:
- Inspect your doors and windows for openings, gaps, loose or broken seals, and repair them as soon as possible.
- Keep your home free of clutter, removing old newspapers, books, magazines, and cardboard boxes you don’t use anymore.
- Avoid leaving your pet food and water bowls outside overnight; consider placing pet food in plastic containers with lids instead of the paper bags they are bought in.
- Throughout your home, check for sources of moisture; repair any leaky pipes and eliminate excess moisture in your crawlspace.
- After each meal, clean up leftover crumbs and spills; don’t forget to wipe down your countertops and stovetop after cooking too.
- If you store lumber or firewood, place it at least 20 feet from your home and elevated off the ground; always inspect it before bringing it inside.
- Always keep your yard well-maintained, mowing your grass on a regular basis, keeping your shrubbery trimmed, and removing any yard debris.
If you’ve noticed an increase in rodent activity on your property or would like to prevent them from invading your yard, consider calling your local pest control company. Professionals will be able to provide you with a thorough evaluation, locate any entry points, recommend a prevention plan, and treat your home if rodents are found.
