The Problems Rodents Bring With Them

If you have ever had a rodent or two get into your home, then you are familiar with the telltale signs that they leave behind. Those tiny little house mice, those not-so-tiny Norway rats, and even squirrels can be quite a headache to deal with once they find their way inside. And they bring more problems with them than you might be aware of! Some issues that rodents cause are obvious. Others, not so much. In today's article, we are going to take a look at several troublesome facts about rodents when they get inside our homes!

• Holes: If rodents are getting into your home, that means there are some pretty significant holes somewhere in your foundation, outer walls, or even your roof. While mice can squeeze into a hole the size of a dime, larger mice, rats, or squirrels may chew those holes to make them large enough to squeeze through. Once there are holes, not only does this allow heat or cool air to escape (which raises your electric bills) but this also allows rain and humidity to get in. This can lead to water damage and wood rot. And water-softened wood is an attractant for pests such as termites and carpenter ants, among others. Rodent entry points also make easy entryways for pests such as spiders, centipedes, or cockroaches to crawl through.
• Gnawing: As mentioned, rodents often chew holes in homes to get inside. But their chewing doesn't stop there. Once inside, rodents will chew on everything from wooden structures to stored items. They will chew on plastic, sheetrock, food packages, and even electrical wiring! If they are trying to get somewhere inside the walls and there are wires in the way, they will simply chew their way through. This presents a fire hazard and is very dangerous.
• Parasites: Rodents do not travel alone. And we are not talking about when they bring their family with them, although this is often true as well. We are talking about all the hitchhiking pests that can be found living in these rodents’ fur. Fleas and ticks are all among the parasites that rodents commonly carry into homes when they invade. Most people know what a nightmare these infestations can be. A flea infestation can be nearly impossible to conquer without professional help. And ticks bring the possibility of spreading harmful diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more!

If you know rodents have infiltrated your home, you are probably doing some research as to how to get rid of them. Can you do it yourself, or is it a better idea to partner with a professional for rodent control? Before making that decision, here are some questions you might want to think about:

Are rodents dangerous?

While rodents don't typically attack humans, they can be dangerous if cornered or protecting their young. And bite or scratch from a rodent (especially a rodent infected with a disease) can be very dangerous.

Is rodent clean-up dangerous?

You might not think it, but cleaning up after rodents can be hazardous. If particles from droppings become airborne, this can cause you to become very ill. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a serious respiratory disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva.

Did I get all the rodents?

Even if you manage to trap and eliminate most of the rodents in your home with DIY methods, you will not know whether or not you were able to get them all and may find yourself in a never-ending battle, whereas when you partner with a professional, you can be assured that all the rodents in your home have been removed.

When you partner with a professional pest control company with the credentials and experience that Action Pest Control has, you can be assured that your rodent problem will be taken care of. We will not only remove existing rodents, but we will clean up their messes as well as locate and seal any entry points so that other rodents (as well as smaller household pests) won’t invade your home in the future. Don't take chances when it comes to rodents inside your home. Take action and get Action today by giving us a call to learn more about our residential pest control options.