Are you seeing any evidence of rodents inside your home? Are you worried if they will become a problem come winter time? You need to know that although rodents thrive in warm weather, they are pretty resilient creatures.
As the winter approaches, rodents are typically at the peak of their busy days, trying to find refuge and scrounging for food. These creatures will not only thrive and survive during the winter, but they are also capable of multiplying then (especially if they found a warm place to live). This means that you could quickly have a rodent infestation on your hands during the winter if a single female rodent decides to make your home or place of business her shelter.
Rodents are infamous for destroying properties and spreading various diseases. Thanks to their cunning, they can enter your home through weep holes—spaces between bricks, under doors, or even through the roof. Always keep in mind that a rat can fit through any opening that is large enough for your thumb. If a pencil easily fits through the hole, you can be certain that a mouse can enter the space unhindered. These rodents have their own sneaky ways to get access to your house. That is why it is absolutely crucial to address this issue as soon as possible before the worst can happen.
When do you take action to ensure these pesky critters won’t choose your home as their winter holdout? Below are things you need to know on why and how to protect your home from rodent infestation in the winter.
What are the Most Common Problems Rodents Can Bring?
Even if you have never experienced a rat infestation before, take all reasonable precautions to keep these invasive animals out of your house, especially in winter when they are desperate to find shelter from the cold weather.
Various threats are associated with having rats/mice in your home. Aside from their capability to do significant structural damage to your home, they can eat and contaminate your food and are, in fact, known to spread dozens of diseases.
To give you a full grasp of what can possibly happen if a rodent infestation gets out of control, we list below some of the common ways rodents pose a risk to you, your home, and your belongings:
Structural Damage
When left unchecked, rodents can seriously harm the structural integrity of your house. They can chew on nearly anything they can get their teeth on, thanks to their strong, sharp incisors, which are constantly growing.
They have the ability to cause significant damage to home exteriors and interiors, which can result in serious issues that can potentially endanger you and the other occupants.
Rats and mice can burrow between soil joints and behind brick sewers, weakening your house’s structure. They can also disrupt drainage by destroying pipework, resulting in flooding and the destruction of electrical wiring, leading to potential fire hazards.
Damage to Valuables
You most likely keep valuables in your home, like most of us do. Rodents love to gnaw on storage features like cardboard boxes or cupboards, potentially harming the valuables you keep inside. They will even rummage through and sink their teeth on the wires of your electronic devices if they get the chance.
Worth remembering how they enjoy building their nests in inaccessible spaces like attics, which is how they can end up destroying expensive furniture pieces and storage areas. When all is said and done, it can cost you tens of thousands of dollars to fix the damage they cause.
Invitation to Other Pests
When rodents gnaw a hole in your wall to get inside, these holes are left open and can give easy access to other pests like ants, centipedes, cockroaches, spiders and other pests that fit the said hole.
In addition to the issues and damage rodents cause you, these other uninvited guests welcomed by their initial intrusion can bring even more headaches for you.
Parasite
Rats can spread parasites that turn into a whole other pest infestation. Fleas, lice, mites, ticks, and worms are some that literally piggyback on these nasty creatures. Ticks are particularly dangerous as they can spread lifelong illnesses and may expose you and others to health-threatening conditions. Tick-borne diseases include:
- Lyme disease
- Tularaemia
Risk of Contamination
As they look for food sources, rodents contaminate your food and water supply at home. Make sure you throw away all the food they consumed or got in contact with immediately. Because even if they don’t contaminate the food directly, their faeces and urine can contaminate surfaces and kitchenware, making you sick or causing food poisoning due to the bacteria they carry.
Health Risks
The risk of disease transmission from mice and rats is very high and can result in serious health threats. Typical illnesses that rodents can spread include:
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
- Plague
- Salmonellosis
- Tularaemia
These illnesses can spread through contaminated food, contact with rodent faeces or urine, or even through air conditioning ventilation systems that circulate harmful particulates.
Any of these illnesses carry a significant risk of hospitalisation and even death. This is another reason why it’s critical to eradicate rodent infestations as soon as possible.
Irritating Noise
Rodents can be bothersome in addition to all the health and property concerns they can cause. They are nocturnal, so all the bumping, chewing, rustling, and squeaking they normally will likely occur while you’re trying to fall asleep.
You surely don’t want to get your sleep interrupted, especially not by rodents rummaging through your belongings.
How to Detect Early Signs of Rodent Infestation?
Are you unsure whether a rodent infestation is present at your place? Watch out for these red flags:
Droppings
Fresh droppings are moist and dark. Rat and mouse droppings dry out, turn old and grey, and crumble easily when moved as they get older. The areas where droppings are most likely found are close to food packaging, cabinets or drawers, under sinks, hidden places, and along walls.
Gnaw Marks
New rodent gnaw marks are lighter in colour and get darker over time. You might notice the chewed holes on the walls or on food packaging.
The gnaw marks can also tell whether you have mice or rats; the larger gnaw marks are likely caused by rats. If you previously had a mouse infestation but now just noticed larger gnaw marks, your house could be harbouring rats by now.
Nests
Rodents will build their nests out of things like shredded paper, fabric, or dried plant matter. If any of the other signs are present in addition to these, your home most likely has an infestation going on.
Scratching Noises
If you hear noises in the middle of the night, there may be mice or rats living in your house. They can be typically heard moving around behind joists and walls, creeping under floors, or scampering around cabinets.
If you have a cat or other pets, keep an eye on them to see if they seem interested in what might be happening behind a wall. Then, put your ear against the wall to hear if you can pick up any unusual scampering sound.
What Attracts Rats to Homes?
Because fewer food sources are naturally available in the winter, rodents will often find their way into homes to obtain food and shelter during the cold season.
Other factors that can draw rats into your home?
- Open trash cans and pet waste
- Sources of water like leaky pipes
- Trees bearing fruit, houseplants, and other types of vegetation
- Clutter and other potential nesting materials
Tips for Keeping Rodents Out This Winter
Keeping mice and rats out of your house is simpler than getting rid of them. You can keep them away from your home’s premises by denying them food and shelter.
Eliminate Entry Points
You must block and seal any potential entry points because mice and rats can squeeze through even the smallest openings. Keep in mind that if their head can fit through space, then so can their body. If at all possible, fill in crevices and cracks, such as those under doors, in the roof, or even between bricks.
Properly Store Your Food
To prevent easy access, make sure to store all of your food in sealed containers. Rats and mice frequently get attracted to pet foods, so keep those sealed the same way you do with your own food.
Remove Clutter
Places like basements, attics, and garages (where there is a lot of clutter) are often favourite spots for rats and mice. If you quickly clean up these areas, they may find these spaces less alluring.
Make sure to eliminate piles of magazines, books, newspapers, and other clutter as they can become breeding areas. Additionally, be sure to organise and maintain the cleanliness of stored items.
Install a Brush Strip
Another excellent way to keep rodents out of your house is to add a sweep or brush strip to your exterior doors. Mice will have fewer entrance points if the small gaps at the base, which are particularly typical with older doors, are sealed off.
Choose the one with an adhesive strip rather than screws for a more straightforward installation. By keeping the heat inside, this tactic will also help you save money this winter.
Winter Doesn’t Stop Rat Infestations
Rodents can be kept out of your home through a number of practical measures. Traditional preventative measures can offer a degree of protection, but a better way to go about this is hiring professional pest control teams like us so you can better evaluate and protect your space. We are a trusted pest extermination service and we have extensive experience providing affordable pest infestation solutions in properties across Melbourne.
Get in touch today to receive a free quote!