Six Rodent Prevention Tips For Durham Residents

Rodents in Durham can become a problem for residents when they get inside structures. They can contaminate stored foods, dishes, silverware, surfaces, and more. They will also damage items in storage, such as couches and upholstered chairs. The worst outcome of a rodent infestation is a house fire. Rodents commonly chew on wires, and this can ignite a blaze.

Today, we're offering up six rodent prevention tips that will help you keep mice, rats, and the occasional squirrel from entering your Durham home and presenting a threat to your health and property. Have a read.

Common Durham Rodent Pests

Before we discuss rodent prevention, it is important to understand what you're up against. In our service area, we have two types of rodents: Domestic rodents and wild rodents.

Domestic rodents are typically the animals that get into structures. These are house mice, roof rats, Norway rats, and tree squirrels. Wild rodents don't typically find a habitat in our homes. Examples of wild rodents are voles, chipmunks, and gophers.

It is also important to consider the size of the rodents that may get into your home, and where they might try to enter. Mice are small rodents that can get into your home through small entry points from the ground level to the top of your roof. As small rodents, they only need a hole the size of a dime.

Rats are big rodents that use larger entry points. Roof rats will typically target high entry points on your roof. Norway rats will typically target low entry points at ground level. Both of these big rodents only need a hole the size of a quarter.

Tip 1: Remove Yard Clutter

When a mouse or rat comes into your yard looking for food, it will navigate your yard with its whiskers, ears, and nose. These animals have poor eyesight. Squirrels, on the other hand, have great eyesight and will not be impacted by this tip.

Pick toys up.
Remove objects from your yard that don't need to be out there.
Move construction materials away from your exterior.
Stow lawn equipment inside.
Keep your lawn trimmed.

Tip 2: Remove Organic Clutter

When a mouse, rat, or squirrel explores your property, it will be happy to find piles of dead branches, leaves, wood, stone, and other organic materials. It is best to clear these out and move them away from the exterior of your home.

Burn branches as you collect them, or store them on an elevated platform away from your home.
Blow leaves out from under structures and out from within your landscaping. Mulch them or bag and remove them.
Store wood on an elevated platform away from your exterior.
Store stone away from your exterior.

Tip 3: Address Exterior Food Sources

Mice, rats, and squirrels love seeds, nuts, and fruit. Urban mice and rats eat garbage and may take to feeding on the waste of domesticated dogs. (Sorry. It's gross but true.) Use these tips to address food sources and the smells that may attract rodents to your home:

Keep garbage in covered containers.
Deodorize garbage containers that develop an odor.
Move bird feeders away from your exterior.
Clean up dog waste in your yard.

Tip 4: Work To Prevent Entry

Mice, rats, and squirrels don't know that your home is a great place to live until they detect the smell of food, heat leaking out, or they notice an area of rotted wood that might present a void to live in. It is essential to seal your exterior and to limit access to vulnerable locations such as your roof or voids underneath exterior structures.

Repair or replace screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps.
Use a caulking gun to fill in wood holes and gaps.
Seal gaps around utilities.
Make sure all vents have covers.
Put wire mesh in downspouts.
Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
Use fencing material to keep rodents out of the void under your deck.

Tip 5: Address Interior Food Sources

When a squirrel gets into your home, it is likely to stay in your attic spaces. This tip doesn't apply to them. But mice and rats may explore your entire home. When they do, you should make it difficult for them to find food resources. It will help to limit their population growth and drive them to feed outside, which can allow you to more easily seal your exterior and keep them out.

Keep your home as clean as possible.
Put stored foods in sealed containers, including pet food.
Refrain from leaving pet food down overnight.

Tip 6: Targeted Rodent Control

It is sometimes necessary to use traps, glue boards, and other treatment methods to capture rodents and monitor rodent activity. If this is necessary for your situation, it is best to contact a licensed pest management professional to handle this task. There are many things that can go wrong when rodent treatments are performed by untrained individuals, not the least of which is having dead rodents inside your wall voids.

Professional Rodent Control In Durham

If you live in Durham, reach out to The Eco Man Pest Solutions for assistance with rodent control. Our highly-trained technicians use field-tested methods to address rodent pressures and to remove rodents from homes and businesses. Connect with us today for effective rodent control.