How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Home This Winter in Florida

As cool evenings and crisp mornings start to set in, rodents are looking for safe places to hide out for the winter. While these household pests may come in small packages, they can cause major damage in your home. What’s more, they’re also carriers of dangerous diseases and can contaminate your food. Here at Anti-Pesto Bug Killers, we have over 25 years of experience dealing with rodent infestations in the Tampa Bay area. We’ll discuss the common signs of a rodent infestation, and the best ways to keep them out of your home this winter.

Common Signs of a Rodent Infestation

Most people think that if they have a rodent infestation, they would know it already–but that’s not always the case. Rodents are sneaky creatures, and often hide out in your home during the day. They’re particularly active at night, so there’s a chance you could have an infestation and not even realize it. The first step to treating an infestation is to properly identify it. The most common signs of a rodent problem include:

• Strange sounds: Scratching or scampering through the walls
• Feces or urine: Visible feces or a heavy ammonia scent
• Shredded boxes or paper: Commonly found in cluttered areas
• Gnawing marks: Rodents often gnaw on hard surfaces
• Damage to electrical wiring: They also gnaw on electrical wiring

If you notice any of these signs, there’s a chance you have a rodent scurrying around in your home. Next up, let’s talk about the most common ways these furry little creatures even get into your home to begin with.

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Common Ways Rodents Enter Your Home

The best way to prevent a rodent infestation altogether is to eliminate the ways they can enter your home. Rodents are excellent climbers and are very sneaky when it comes to getting inside a property. They can scale walls and fit through openings as small as a dime! Here are a few entry points to keep an eye on and seal up if you notice any cracks:

• Corners where the siding meets on your house
• Area around windows
• Holes or gaps in foundation
• Garages attached to the house
• Open chimneys
• Where utility lines meet your home

Be sure to check all these areas of your home for cracks and spaces where rodents might be making their way in. By sealing open cracks, you will not only prevent rodents but all kinds of pests alike!

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The Dangers of Rodents in Your Home

While most would agree that rodents are not necessarily desirable to have inside a home, not all understand exactly what makes them dangerous. Not only can rodents cause physical damage to your home by chewing on electrical wiring, but they can also spread diseases. Since rodents are drawn to food sources, a cardboard box of cereal or cookies is the perfect invitation for a rodent. Once inside, it will try its best to get into any accessible food source, spreading germs and disease as it travels. They’re also extremely unsanitary, leaving urine and feces behind wherever they go. Yuck!

How to Prevent Rodents

You know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! When it comes to a pest infestation of any kind, this rings especially true. The best way to avoid the headache of a rodent infestation is to prevent them from getting inside your home to begin with.

Here are a few tips to prevent rodents this winter:

• Seal holes and cracks around your home to avoid their entry.
• Remove any piles of leaves or mulch around the perimeter of your home.
• Be sure to keep all food in plastic containers with tight lids.
• Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink and clean up after yourself right away.
• Keep outdoor bird feeders away from your home. This invites rodents in!
• Don’t leave pet food bowls out overnight. This is a food source for rodents.

If you suspect a rodent infestation, you can utilize baits and traps to capture and kill rodents, but your best bet is to let a professional handle it. Rodents are extremely unsanitary and you don’t want to risk your health in order to get rid of them!

Always Act Quickly

If you spot evidence of mice and rodents (such as droppings and gnawed plastic or furniture), do not hesitate to call a professional right away to handle the invasion. Rodents reproduce quickly, and small invasions can turn into big ones rapidly if the problem isn’t treated quickly. The only thing worse than finding a mouse or rat in your home is finding a pack of them!

Rodent control isn’t a difficult task when you follow these easy hints. Rodents and mice are persistent, but when you understand their weaknesses, you can get the upper hand. Here at Anti-Pesto, we have experienced and knowledgeable pest control professionals that can help you keep these unwelcome pests from invading.