There are a lot of things to love about fall in Louisville, but rodents do not fall into that category. As you prepare for winter, it’s important to keep in mind that you are not the only one making plans.

This is the time of year when rodents have switched into survival mode. In order to survive the winter, they must find a warm shelter that provides a food and water source. If you’re not careful, they’ll decide that your home fits the bill perfectly. When rodents move in, you’ll find yourself with a host of problems you won’t want to deal with, but will be forced to if you wish to prevent further damage.

When rodents move into your home, they’ll likely build their nests in small, hidden spaces, away from activity. These spaces include the attic, wall voids, and in between floors. If that’s all they did, that would be bad enough - unfortunately, they don’t stop there.
 
Rodents in Louisville have front teeth that never stop growing, so they must constantly chew in order to keep the length of their teeth manageable. When they are inside your house, they’ll chew on walls, beams, and insulation, as well as electrical wiring. Given enough time, they can cause structural damage, not to mention create fire hazards by leaving behind frayed wiring.

Rodents also carry a number of diseases, as well as disease-carrying parasites such as ticks and fleas. Contact with the rodents themselves, as well as contact with their feces, can infect your family and make you sick.

As you get ready for winter, it’s important to add some items to your to-do list that will prevent rodents from gaining entry into your home.

• Keep your grass trimmed short and remove all yard debris, such as broken branches, leaves, and grass clippings. The fewer places rodents have to hide, the less likely they are to get close to your house.
• Cut back branches so they aren’t close to your house. Fewer ways onto your roof mean fewer ways for rodents to get inside.
• Stack firewood a safe distance from your home, as rodents can often be found in stacks of wood.
• Eliminate outdoor food sources, including pet food, bird feeders, and trash.
• Eliminate outdoor water sources, including pet water dishes, bird baths, clogged gutters, and standing water on your property.
• Seal all cracks and gaps along your foundation, in the walls, and around windows and doors.
• Cap chimneys and cover vents.
• Eliminate easy food sources inside your home. Store food either in the refrigerator or in tightly sealed containers. Don’t leave dirty dishes out on the counter. Clean up messes and spills as soon as they happen.
• Reduce clutter in storage areas to eradicate hiding places.

You can prevent rodents from entering your home, but sometimes even our best efforts fall short and they find a way inside despite our best efforts. If this happens to you, getting help from trained professionals is the best way to deal with a rodent infestation. Rodents can be difficult to eliminate due to the way they hide. They can also become aggressive and dangerous when they feel threatened or cornered. It's always best to choose a safe way to eliminate your rodent problem.

Action Pest Control offers several options for rodent pest control, including pest proofing and our popular premier pest control program. For more information, give us a call today.