Preparing Your Home for the Fall: Preventing Rodents

No one wants pests like mice or rats in their home, but what can you as a homeowner do to prevent
them? When you are investigating pest control options, you will quickly find out that you need to have a
pest management plan especially for those furry pests that might find their way into your home. Not only
do rats and mice spread disease, you’ll discover that they can seriously damage your home. Think about
what you can do to protect your home from these vermin before you need to call an exterminator.

Start Sealing in Fall

You may already know that lots of pests can be kept out of the home through sealing up the cracks and
gaps, but did you know that the best time to do this is in the fall? Plenty of animals make their way into
the home when the weather gets cold. They are seeking warmth and food, and a human home has plenty
of both. Before the cold weather rolls around, make sure that you make the rounds of your home and seal
up every crack that you can find in the foundation. Silicone caulk goes a long way towards keeping your
home in secure from incursions, but you should also consider firmer materials like stucco or cement to
keep pests from invading your home.

Seal Up your Food

Rodents need things to eat, and if you leave your food unsecured, they will find it. First take care of
the obvious problems. Don’t leave things lying around, and keep your fresh fruit in the fridge. This is
something that can make a big difference all on its own. Sweep after meals to get crumbs off the floor and
wash your dishes in a timely fashion. Pour all of your food out of cardboard or paper containers and into
plastic or glass containers. Mice and rats naturally gnaw to get to their food, and they can contaminate
your food very quickly.

Set Traps

If you only have one or two mice, it is worth your while to invest in some traps. Pest management does
involve dealing with pests that already exist, so put out some traps wherever you have seen the animals
in question. One way to make the traps more appealing to your pests is to use a small amount of peanut
butter or mashed potatoes to draw them out. To improve your chances for success, consider leaving
bait in the trap for a few days before setting the trap; this ensures that the animals will be more likely to
take the bait. Skip poisons and other chemicals. There are many chemicals on the market designed for
animals that are quite unsafe for humans. Consult with an exterminator if you feel you need to take a
more aggressive approach to pest removal.

Disposal

If you are engaging in pest control tactics, you will find that you do need to get rid of rodent corpses at
some point. When you need to get rid of them, bag them up in a sealable plastic bag and then place them
in a trash can outdoors. Do not leave them in an indoor trash can, as this can draw other pests. Also, do
not bury them, as this can draw cats, foxes, and raccoons to your property.

Author Bio: Rose McMillan is a retired pest control professional who has worked at multiple pest control companies, such as the likes of Terminix. She now pursues a career in freelance writing and enjoying the outdoors.