Rodents often make nests in and around your yard before they venture inside. To prevent a mouse or rat from scoping out your home, stop them from getting too close by making your yard less appealing to them. Deeply mulched flower beds or piles of leaves can look like home sweet home to a rodent. Especially during the fall season, if you rake up big piles of leaves, bag them and remove them from your property to avoid a rodent infestation.
Rodents find ways into your home through holes, cracks, space between the door and door jams, windows that do not shut properly, or through damaged roofs. While you are outside, cleaning up the yard, take some time to inspect the outside of your home for any possible entry points for rodents like mice and rats. Keep in mind that the smallest gap can be space enough for a rodent to enter your home. You may need a ladder to get eyes on your roof because it is often out of your line of sight. If there are damaged shingles, a rodent can get under there to the wood and gnaw their way into your attic. Any holes, gaps, or spaces that are larger than ΒΌ of an inch should be sealed to prevent rodents from getting into your house.
If this seems like a large task, a rodent control service can block and seal potential entry points for you.
Lastly, keeping your home clean and clutter free is an excellent way to prevent rodents from wanting to come inside. Develop habits like:
Sweep after every meal
Put all trash and food scraps in a trash can with a lid
Wipe down counters and table with an all purpose spray
Clean out attic, basement, or garage at regular intervals during the year
Take trash out when full and put in an outdoor trash can with a lid
Contain all eating to the kitchen or dining room
To be sure rodents stay out of your house, give a pest control service a call to inspect and treat your property for rodents. If you are in Bakersfield, CA, give San Joaquin Pest Control in Visalia a call today.