Everyone has a fear of something. For some, their biggest fear resides in something physical, like spiders or heights. Others are afraid of things that might happen in their lives. At Green Home Pest Control, one thing we fear is locals suffering because of pest problems. One pest that causes a lot of harm is rodents. Now, not every rodent is going to pose a threat to your health and home. To make sure you understand what you need to know about these furry invaders and the problems they cause on local properties, we have some things to share with you today. Here is a basic guide to rodent control and everything you need to know to stop these pests from invading your Phoenix home. Reach out to our dedicated team at Green Home Pest Control if you would like our help handling an active infestation on your property. We have everything you could ever need to identify, remove, and prevent all sorts of terrible pests. Let us talk you through your options for rodent pest control in Phoenix and find a plan that works for you. To learn more about these invasive creatures, keep reading.
Rodents are all over the place here in Phoenix. Not all have the desire or ability to invade your home. Take voles and moles as an example. These outdoor rodents like to tunnel underground and cannot survive inside homes or businesses. On the other hand, there are mice and rats. Both of these common rodents thrive in tight spaces like wall voids and can easily survive on moisture and food sources indoors. Squirrels are another rodent that can invade homes. These furry pests, however, have a much more limited diet and only look to man-made structures as a place to find shelter. They are most commonly found squatting in attics and other areas with low human foot traffic. Keeping all of this in mind, you should know how to identify the different types of rodents that might try to get into your home. Here are some of the most common local species of rats and mice and what they look like.
The pack rat is a moderately sized rodent that grows between 8 and 20 inches long. This includes their three to nine-inch tail. These pale buff, gray, or reddish-brown home invaders have large ears, hairy tails, and soft, dense fur.
The roof rat is about the same size as a pack rat, growing to be about 16 inches long, with about half their length in their tail. This brown rodent can have a gray, white, or black underside and black hairs intermixed into its coat. Roof rats are often mistaken for mice because of their smaller bodies and blunt facial features.
The house mouse is a smaller local rodent invader and only grows to be five to eight inches long when you include its tail. This pest has round ears, a pointy nose, black eyes, and a long fur-covered tail. Surprisingly the average house mouse is capable of squeezing through holes as small as a nickel and narrow gaps.
The deer mouse is named for its coloration with a brown coat and white underside; even their tails are half brown and half white. These mice also grow to be around five to eight inches long with body and tail combined. Deer mice frequently live outdoors but will sometimes seek shelter in outbuildings or homes.
If you would like help identifying different kinds of rodents inside your Phoenix home, do not hesitate to call in our team for a thorough pest inspection. We are dedicated to helping you understand your risk and would be more than happy to identify which pest rodents are a problem on your property.
Health Risks And Property Damage: The Importance Of Rodent Control
There are numerous reasons that you should avoid rodents in Phoenix. These furry invaders are natural problem causers. Of the three most common home-invading species, mice and rats are the most problematic. Both of these types of creatures actively threaten health, sanity, and homes. If you are facing an infestation, it’s important to consider the three main ways that rodents might cause problems on your property.
Heath Threat: Rodents threaten health in a number of ways. To start, these pests carry bacteria and other sickness vectors inside and on their bodies. They spread contamination when they crawl over counters, nibble on left-out food, and defecate and urinate throughout your home. In addition to this, rodents regularly carry other dangerous pests like fleas and ticks indoors when they invade. These smaller parasitic bugs can also spread disease with their bites. Aside from other pests, rodents can also leave allergens around your home.
Property Damage: This is the most noticeable problem that rodents cause. Pests like mice and rats love to chew holes through walls, into pantries, and in other areas around homes. They are likely to nibble on the legs of furniture, food boxes, storage boxes, electrical wires, water pipes, and anything else in their path. To top everything off, rodents tear up insulation, fabrics, paper, and other similar items while gathering materials for their nests and will soil these nesting areas with urine and droppings.
Mental Stress: When you consider the risks of rodents in your home, having an infestation can lead to a lot of additional stress. Worrying about threats to your home and health is not a minor distraction. Hearing skittering sounds in your walls or ceilings late at night, waking up to find fresh droppings in your cupboards, and dealing with the smells and mess rodents leave behind can take a considerable toll on your sanity.
It is important that you know about rodents. It is even more important that you know how to stop these pests before they cause serious problems inside your Phoenix home. To help you combat active infestations and avoid future problems, here are some things you should know about DIY and professional rodent pest control in Phoenix.
Rodent Exclusion Tips: Safeguard Your Property From Infestations
Living with rodents is not something you want to do. Thankfully, there are ways to stop these pests from getting indoors. If you are not currently dealing with an active rodent infestation, take some time to learn some advanced exclusion and prevention tips from our team.
Here are a few great methods to start with:
Walk around your home’s exterior and look for gaps, holes, and cracks that rodents might use to get indoors. Fill the potential entry points with steel wool and silicone caulk or liquid cement.
Check your windows and doors for damage. Repair damage you find and install screens where you think they might be helpful. Install weatherstripping and door sweeps to minimize gaps around these areas, and keep unscreened windows and doors closed when you are not actively using them.
Inspect pipes and fixtures inside your home and make sure they are not leaking.
Wipe up excess moisture after doing the dishes, taking a bath, or spilling a beverage indoors.
Clean up food messes as they occur and do your best to keep up with general cleaning like dishes, sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming.
Keep food (including pet food) stored in airtight containers.
Take out the trash weekly, make sure bins are clean, and invest in cans with tight-fitting lids.
Organize your storage areas and do your best to keep your living areas tidy. With this, reduce clutter whenever possible and store items you are not using inside sealable plastic totes.
All of these methods are great for reducing your chances of finding rodents indoors. These tips and tricks will not, however, be enough to remove an active infestation from your home or property. If you are dealing with rodents, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team at Green Home Pest Control for assistance.
Professional Rodent Control: The Safe Way To Remove An Infestation
Taking the time to choose a pest control provider is wise. With so many companies locally, it is easy to get lost. It is also easy to miss details when reading about plans and services. We do our absolute best at Green Home Pest Control to be transparent and honest. You will find details about all of our advanced services on our website. We offer both commercial and residential plans for a wide range of common and uncommon pests. This includes rodents. If you are struggling to get rid of or keep mice, rats, or other common rodents out of your home, do not hesitate to get our team involved.
Green Home Pest Control is an eco-minded provider that handles pests in a way that is best for you and best for the environment. To handle the rodents inside or around your home, we use exclusion, traps, and bait. This Integrated Pest Management approach takes into account your individual pest problems and meets your needs directly rather than using a blanket approach. What does this mean for you? It means total control.
Reach out to our dedicated staff at Green Home Pest Control today to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Phoenix and find out why so many locals trust us with their care. We will show you exactly why you should always go green when dealing with pests.
