With the fall weather hitting, you've probably already noticed a drop in temperature. Gone are the 90-degree highs of the summer days, and enter the 40-degree lows of the winter. It can be a nice break for Texans, with many even looking forward to the cooler winter months as a break from the scorching summer heat.
For rodents, however, the winter months bring nothing but discomfort. Each winter, 21 million homes will have a rodent infestation during the winter. Of the year-round pest infestations, 45% are reported during the winter months. There are many ways to prevent your home or business from having a rodent problem before having to call a winter pest control company.
Seal All Cracks & Holes
It's pretty simple: if no entrances are available to rodents, they can't get into your home. Sealing cracks and gaps in your home during the winter is the first step in keeping unwanted rodents at bay. Mice and rats can slip through even the tiniest openings down to a space the size of a dime. Once inside, they can cause significant damage, contaminate food, and pose health risks.
You create a barrier that deters rodents from invading your home by sealing cracks, gaps around doors and windows, and any other potential entry points. Finding and sealing all your property's cracks, holes, and crevices might be challenging. Therefore, while this step is an important one to take, there may be other preventative pest control measures that you need to protect your property from a rodent infestation.
Secure Your Food
Like all animals, rodents are attracted by the smell of food, so kitchens are the most common location for a rodent infestation. A rat's or mouse's mindset is purely on survival, which causes them always to seek out the nearest food source. Therefore, leaving food items, including pet food, accessible or improperly stored can attract these pests into your home, leading to contamination, damage, and spreading diseases.
By securely storing food in airtight containers, maintaining a clean kitchen, and properly disposing of waste, you protect your family's health and create a less enticing environment for rodents. If you eliminate a rat's food source, their survival instincts will cause them to seek out another.
Clean Your Property
You've heard of spring cleaning before, but have you heard of winter cleaning? It may not sound like what you want to do when you could be getting cozy, but if you want to prevent rats and mice from causing a pest infestation, then winter cleaning is a task you'll have to complete. The rodent population thrives in places that are full of clutter.
Pest problems are typically found in homes with a lot of clutter, such as newspapers, firewood, and piles of clothes. Rodents like dark spaces, tight spaces for warmth, protection, and food. Keeping things clean and tidy during these winter months is essential to keep these pests from getting cozy in your home!
Maintain Your Outdoor Landscaping
Branches that hang close to your windows provide easy access for rodents. These agile creatures can easily climb trees and make seemingly difficult jumps from a branch to your roof, hence the term "roof rat." From there, they can find a small hole and sneak into your attic. Then they'll smell a food source downstairs, and suddenly, you have a pest infestation.
Trimming any tree branches that come close to your home is essential. Keeping a tidy lawn is vital, as long grass and weeds can be attractive to rodents. Like how they prefer clutter inside a property, they prefer similar environments outside. On that note, you should also ensure the outside of your home is clutter-free.
For General Pest Control Services in Texas, Contact Marathon Pest Control
You require rodent control services if rats or mice have already infested your home. Marathon Pest Control offers pest control solutions that solve your rodent problem in the short term and prevent infestations in the long term. Our rat services and mice services are comprehensive and eliminate these unwanted intruders from your property.
Our highly skilled professionals use effective treatment methods to combat pest infestations effectively. We strive to ensure a pest-free environment, allowing you to enjoy your home again. With thorough property inspections and personalized pest management plans, our dedicated technicians are committed to eradicating issues from your home and implementing preventative measures to keep them at bay.
Contact Marathon’s Rat Control Specialists Before Winter Sets In
For residential or commercial pest control services, contact Marathon today! You'll be impressed by our commitment to efficiency and quality customer service. Let's tackle your pest problem today before it becomes an infestation tomorrow!
