The Key To Getting Rid Of Rodents In And Around Your Bay Area Home

Rodents in the Bay Area can be unsettling. Most residents are at a loss as to what to do about them when they see a mouse or rat. It is common knowledge that rodents threaten health and property, but few people know how great the threat is or whether to worry about it. They're also mysterious pests that come out at night searching for food and can explore every level of a Bay Area home without detection. It is best to detect them early because there is no knowing how much of a threat they will pose to you or your family. All we know for sure is that mice and rats reproduce quickly, and a small problem can turn into a large problem in a matter of months. Join us as we look at how to locate evidence of a rodent infestation in your Bay Area home, how rodents impact your life, how difficult it is to control rodents, and what stops rodents in their tracks. Before we get started, we'd like to remind you that you don't have to read an article about rodent control to stop a rodent infestation. You can navigate to our contact page for rodent pest control in The Bay Area. Our service technicians have the experience and training to deal with all rodents that get into homes in our area.  

Identifying a Rodent Problem In Your Home

We have several kinds of rodents in the Bay Area. Some of them never get inside our homes. When was the last time you heard of a gopher infestation in someone's house? Yeah. It doesn't happen. Several other rodent pests can accidentally get inside but don't prefer to be in your home. A few examples are chipmunks, squirrels, deer mice, and Norway rats. But these pests can get inside, and they will cause issues for as long as they stay indoors. The rodents we're going to focus on today are house mice and roof rats—though it is essential to understand that Norway rats can infest structures permanently if conditions are favorable.

House Mice

These are small rodents. But they are no small problem. While a house mouse is only 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches long, not including the tail, they chew on wires and are known to cause structure fires. One tiny, little mouse has the potential to destroy everything in your home. Will that happen? We can't say. Our recommendation is to address a mice infestation to remove the possibility. Unfortunately, it isn't easy to get rid of house mice. There is a reason they have the word "house" in their name. So, when you see a dusty-colored mouse in or around your home, it is time to contact a licensed professional.      

Roof Rats    

These are big rodents that cause big problems. It is important to point out that when we say "big rodents" we mean in comparison to mice. Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats. But don't let their small size fool you. They're the worst of the two. Roof rats are often called "common house rats." That is a better description. While they certainly access homes by way of the roof, they don't always enter structures by this route. Once they get inside a structure, they're happy to stay permanently, and it is hard to convince them to leave. Roof rats are usually black and are 6 to 8 inches long, not including the tail. These rodents also chew on wiring and can cause a fire.

When rodents get into your home, you're not likely to see them. They are sneaky pests. Therefore, it is essential to know other ways to detect them. Here are a few suggestions:

• Look for black droppings around the exterior of your home, in your attic, and in concealed locations on every floor.
• Use your nose to detect the scent of urine. Mice and rats leave droplets of urine as they explore.
• Look down low in your kitchen and pantry. Mice make holes that are about the size of a dime, and rats make holes about the size of a quarter. These won't look like cartoon rodent holes. There isn't likely to be an arch.
• Check for holes in storage boxes, stored furniture, and other items in your attic or storage closet.
• Look for grease marks on baseboards.
• Check dusty shelves for footprints.
• Watch to see if your dog or cat acts funny in the kitchen or pantry. Dogs and cats can smell and hear things that you can't. They'll know you have a rodent problem long before you do.

After you find evidence of an infestation in your home, you need to evaluate the threat. We won't spend too much time on this because we know that statistical facts can cause folks to be unnecessarily fearful of rodents. Our goal isn't to scare you, it is to inform you of the potential dangers.

The Diseases Spread By Rodents

Every rodent that gets into your home can present a threat. Many factors influence the level of threat. We'll share some of these factors as we share the dangers.

• Rodents may chew holes to get into your home. The holes they create can allow other pests inside. They also allow moisture in, which can lead to wood damage, mold, and other problems. Rodents don't target sound wood first, so addressing areas of wood rot may prevent rodent entry. As rodents explore your exterior, they don't have a reason to get inside. Holes attract them and rodents investigate. While a mouse or rat can chew through foam or caulking materials, these materials will stop them simply by removing the attraction of investigating a hole.
• Rodents pick up bacteria, parasitic worms, and other harmful microorganisms in dirty places. You can significantly reduce this threat by deep cleaning and properly managing trash.
• Droppings left by rodents can make you sick. They pose no small threat when rodents drop them in hidden places within your pantry or kitchen. Deep cleaning can help with this. When you clean up rodent droppings, wear a mask and rubber gloves.
• Mice and rats bring fleas and ticks into your home. A single mouse can have as many as a hundred seed ticks on its body. Yikes! You may mitigate this threat by reducing moisture and removing conducive flea and tick habitats around the exterior of your home.

Do you see how it works? Each of the ways rodents can harm you has some sort of mitigation. Keep this in mind as you work to address a rodent control issue.

Why DIY Rodent Traps In Bay Area Homes Don't Work

When you find rodents in your home, you may decide to use traps to solve your problem. Do traps work? Yes. So why don't they work for you? The problem is that trapping mice or rats is not a complete solution. Professionals use traps as one part of a multi-pronged control plan. For example, when you trap rodents but you don't seal the entry points they used to get into your home, you'll keep having rodents getting inside.  

Another issue to contend with is that domestic rodents are smart. They know when you're trying to capture them. Your traps need to be placed correctly to have any chance of culling rodent populations effectively. 

How To Safely Get Rid Of Rodents Inside Your Home

It pays to get professional rodent control. The worst result of DIY rodent control is thinking the rodents are gone when they actually aren't. When this happens, mice and rats are allowed to continue to impact your health and damage your property. A licensed pest management professional will work the problem until all the rodents in your home are gone and they have the training to know for sure that the treatment program was a success.

Are you in the Bay Area? If so, contact Bay Pest for effective rodent control. Our licensed technicians aren't just highly trained pest control professionals, they're hard workers.

• We apply exclusions to patch up entry points that are ¼ of an inch or greater. We use industry-standard materials for exclusion installations.
• We install one-way doors to allow rodents out and keep them from getting back inside
• We provide sanitation services, such as vacuuming droppings and deodorizing infested areas.
• We use a disinfectant sanitizer virucide (DSV) for this. You won't have to worry about invisible contaminants after treatment.
• We remove contaminated insulation and replace it with pest control insulation to remove the mess and provide protection from future rodent infestations.

Providing comprehensive services like these is what makes Bay Pest stand out from the competition. When you want to have the best service possible, we have you covered. Connect with us and tell us about your rodent problem. We can guide you over the phone and direct you toward a solution that will work for you. Our team has a lot of experience with rodent control. We've seen it all. Get help today.