While mice, rats and squirrels all vary in size, the damage they cause to your home has several similarities. Gnawing – a habit for keeping their teeth under control – wrecks your insulation, wires and pipes. When building nests, these rodents may tear apart cloth, paper and insulation in your attic. The bottom line? Even after the pests have been removed from your home, you’re facing costly repairs.
Unless you make an effort, the rodents are likely to return. Did you know mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime? There are also plenty of gaps and openings from your foundation up to your roof that look like inviting places for pests to enter. Come fall and winter, the mice and squirrels are seeking warmth and food and, in the process, your home could attract pests all over again.
How could rodents regain access your home?
- Rats are able to climb both vertically and horizontally. They may use cables, trees or electrical wires to access your home’s upper areas.
- Squirrels can climb onto your roof through tree branches.
- Rodents also have swimming abilities and may re-enter through piping.
- Small holes and gaps that you may not notice are large enough for even medium-sized rodents to squeeze through.
As a result, you could be looking at a second infestation – unless you work with Eliminate ‘Em’s rodent control experts to install a permanent rodent exclusion solution.
Inspection & Exclusion
To start, one of our experienced pest control professionals inspects your home – interior and exterior – for all signs of rodents. This helps us identify:
- Common entry points
- Small holes, cracks and gaps through which they could re-enter
- Window damage that rodents could take advantage of, including screen rips or missing panes
- Gaps and openings around doors that mice and rats could shimmy through
After assessing your home for these issues, we will:
- Seal up all possible entry points and pathways, both inside and along the exterior, using sealants strong enough to keep out rodents.
- Block gutters and piping with wire mesh or grates.
- Repair any windows and doors that could potentially let rodents through.
- Add door sweeps to prevent rodents from sneaking in underneath.
- Install pest control guards on all levels of your home.
Repairs
Once the rodents are gone and your home is sealed up, there’s a third factor that has to be addressed: Cleaning up the destruction. Rodents living in your attic and walls can result in more than physical damage. You could also be exposed to rabies and other harmful diseases. As such, to fully remove all signs of rodents, our team:
- Inspects your attic, basement, walls and ductwork for signs of contamination.
- Removes any damaged insulation.
- Repairs points of entry, which certain rodents may have widened.
- Cleans and sanitizes your home to remove all waste, bodily fluids and nests.
- Helps re-insulate your property and repair any additional pest-related damage.
After an infestation is resolved, there’s a chance the mice, rats or squirrels will return. For a more reliable, long-term solution, develop a permanent exclusion plan with Eliminate ‘Em. To learn more about our rodent control services, exclusion, and abatement services, give us a call today at (866) 802-7378
