Rodents are a serious problem in the San Francisco Bay area. When they get into a home, there are a surprising number of ways they can be a threat. They contaminate stored foods, food-prep surfaces, silverware, and dishes with their fur and their waste. They chew holes through walls, tear up insulation, rip wallpaper, and desecrate stored furniture and valuable keepsakes. Worst of all, as they explore a home from top to bottom, they can leave ticks, fleas, lice and other parasites as they go. We could go on, but you get the point. They’re bad. Really bad. That is why we’ve put together these 5 tips for fall rodent prevention.
1. Control Standing Water
Remove conditions that allow water to be captured. Gutters are an important place to start. They can get clogged or broken and lead to saturation issues near your home.
2. Control Food Sources
- Rats are looking for food. If you have food sources in your yard, protect them by installing fencing around them. Make sure to install the fence at least a foot underground to keep rodents from burrowing under.
- Make sure exterior trash is in sealed containers.
- Refrain from putting pet food down outside.
3. Seal Entry Points
- Check and repair the seals around your door and window frames.
- Fix damaged screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps.
- Seal gaps around pipes.
- Fill in holes created in wood by pests.
Trim tree branches away from your roofline and put wire mesh in your downspouts to prevent rodents from gaining access to vulnerabilities on your roof.
4. Remove Hiding Places
Rats hide in lawn clutter. The more clutter you have, the safer rats will feel. Lawn clutter and piles of items are a particular attractant for Norway rats, which create burrows in the ground underneath piles
5. Get Help When You Need It
If rats get into your Bay Area home, let the professional at Smith’s Pest Management help you remove them and keep them out. Our highly trained wildlife management technicians are as good at trapping rats as they are at trapping gophers. We hope you’ll give us the opportunity to show you what a difference it can make to have a knowledgeable professional taking care of those rats. Reach out to us today for a phone consultation or to set up an onsite inspection. We’re here to help.
