We generally say that mice only need an opening the size of a dime to enter a structure. The video shows some common entrance points that mice use to access a home. The home used in the video was in Chester County and represents most “development” style homes built after 1990.
If you live or work in Chester County and have rodents issues, give us a call or send us a message. Our fully licensed and insured technicians will get you rodent free!
There are rodents in Chester County, and we have the tools to stop them!
Our rodent control services in Chester County focus on identifying the entry points, treating, and preventing re-infestations. Our Chester County clients love that we are able to resolve their rodent infestation quickly and effectively. Unlike most exterminators you have had in your home, our rodent treatments include cleaning up the droppings and treating the issue. Let our experienced, licensed, and insured technicians get you rodent free today!
Chuck Fergus’ paper on rodents for the Pennsylvania Game Commission species, (https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeSpecies/Documents/micevoles.pdf), is a great starting point to learning about rodent biology. In his paper, Chuck goes into detail on the numerous nuisance rodent species found in Pennsylvania. One of the common themes among the different species of rodents is how frequently they give birth, and how many offspring they produce. On average, a single mouse in one year could potentially giver birth to 50 mice total in that year! This is how a small rodent issue can turn into a full infestation in a relatively short time.
Besides being prolific breeders, another common rodent factor is their teeth. Rodent incisor teeth continue to grow throughout their entire lives. This is the reason why rodents seem to chew on anything and everything. In order to keep their teeth whittled down, rodents have to chew on objects. When in a home, rodents commonly chew on wiring, plumbing, and wood. Chewing on electrical wiring can lead to serious and devasting home fires.
In addition to causing home fires, rodents pose other safety and health hazards to humans. Rodents can contaminate the food of both humans and pets. Any uncovered or unsealed food sources are prime habitats for rodents. Rodents love to get into the food, eat, and then leave their droppings. Another more serious health issue from rodents is Hantavirus. Hantavirus is a sometimes-fatal virus that occurs due to exposure to infected rodent feces and urine. The CDC has some great information on Hantavirus that you can read here. ( https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/index.html).
Extreme caution should be used when removing or cleaning up any rodent droppings. We utilize a HEPA filtered vacuum to safely and effectively remove rodent droppings. Our system contains the droppings and any virus particles so that your home and air quality can be improved. Not many pest control companies actually clean-up rodent droppings but we do, and we do it the right way!
When trying to determine how the mice are getting into the home, there are some “hot spots” to look for. We look for areas where electrical lines, HVAC lines, and plumbing come into the home. Sometimes where the lines come through the wall, there is no sealant around the opening allowing rodents to enter the structure. Another common entry point is the garage. Usually there is a rubber seal on the sides and bottom of the garage door. Rodents can easily chew these rubber seals and enter the garage. One last common entry point is areas such as louvered vents and gable vents. Most rodents can climb so entry points don’t have to be at ground level.
Exclusion is the process of sealing up entry points and potential entry points to prevent rodent infestations. Note that this process should be for preventing infestations and should not be done if there is a current infestation. The reason for not excluding during an active infestation is because we want the rodents to be able to exit the home during the treatment process. If you seal up all of the entry and exit points during an infestation, you increase the likelihood that a mouse will die in the house and begin to smell.
We treated the rodents and now its 2 weeks later, time to exclude the home. The previous section highlighted some common rodent entrances. For gaps and cracks, we use a product called Xcluder. Xcluder is a woven fabric that is used to create a physical barrier that rodents cannot chew through. We then apply caulk to seal the barrier into place and create a water-proof seal. Any hole or opening the size of a dime or larger should be sealed.
For current rodent infestations, we utilize a combination of rodenticides to resolve the issue. Rodenticides, also known as rodent baits, are used because of their quick and long-term results. We like to use a combination of rodenticides so that we don’t run into issues with picky rodents not liking our rodent bait selection. Using bait blocks, soft bait, and dusts, we are able to get rodent issues under control fast.
Our rodent treatments are always focused on human, pet, and non-target species safety. This means that we will never apply rodenticides in areas or situations that could allow humans, pets, or non-target species to come into contact with our bait. We always supply a detailed list of any baits used on your property so you know exactly what and how much was applied and where.
For the DIYers, always read the instructions on the bait that you are using and only use the bait in a manner in which the manufacturer instructs. Our rodent treatments utilize commercial strength rodent bait. More importantly, our rodent treatments are conducted in the right areas of the home to completely resolve your rodent issue.
Our initial rodent treatments include a thorough and detailed inspection, proper clean-up of accessible rodent droppings, and expert treatment. After the initial treatment, our follow-up services include a full exclusion service and information regarding long term rodent proofing and maintenance.
Our preventative maintenance plans include rodent control. This means that we can and will keep your home pest and rodent free year-round. All of our preventative maintenance plans include a warranty that includes free in-between service calls if you have an issue in-between services. Our Chester County clients get interior and exterior pest and rodent control services for a very affordable price. Give us a call, or send us a text or message to get a price quote or to schedule a service.
Citations
“Wildlife Species.” Wildlife-Related Diseases, www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeSpecies/Pages/default.aspx.
“Hantavirus.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 Feb. 2018, www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/index.html.
Whenever we get a service request for rodents, we always start on the outside of the property. Rodents do not just magically appear on the inside of your home. The inside of your home rarely contains all of the necessary resources that rodents need to survive and thrive. Therefore, rodents tend to be able to enter and exit the structure and this is where treatments should be focused.
Whether you live in a single-family home, row home, or apartment, there are always methods and techniques to better rodent proof your dwelling. With row homes and apartments, the rodent issue may be coming from the neighbor’s side and your options may be more limited. Single-family homes do not have as many issues with neighbor’s causing the infestation, because the home isn’t connected to another home., but can be problematic to rodent proof due to their larger size.
As a general rule, mice only need an opening the size of a nickel or even a dime to enter a structure. This very small size opening can sometimes be difficult to spot or difficult to eliminate. For example, if the neighbor’s home has a large opening that is allowing rodents to enter the structure, then your home could become infested if your home is connected. Another example of a difficult situation to seal up rodent openings are in older homes that have stone foundations. The gaps and crevices that are naturally there due to the construction, can provide a super-highway for rodents to enter the structure. More typically, rodents enter the structure through gaps under the garage door, door frames, and areas where plumbing/wiring/HVAC lines come into the house.
So what options does the homeowner have to treat and then prevent future rodent infestations? Ideally, all of the current and potential rodent entrances would be sealed. This should not be first if you are currently experiencing a rodent infestation on the inside of the home. Steel wool and caulk are sufficient for sealing up most gaps and entrances. We use a product called “xcluder” cloth to seal up larger openings and even prevent larger rodents and animals from entering the structure. Remember, caulk or sealant alone will not keep rodents from entering the structure since they are known for chewing materials that are much stronger. Steel wool and copper meshing are also great alternatives to block entrances.
If you have sealed up all of the openings, or have a situation where it is not possible to physically seal up the openings, then the usage of rodenticides is the next best approach. There are many different types of rodenticides that can be purchased and used. Always read the directions and follow them to the fullest. We always use a lockable rodent station to house the rodenticide. These stations are placed along the outside perimeter of the structure to reduce the rodent population around the structure. The stations themselves are designed to only allow rodents to enter the station and feed on the rodenticide. This is important because we want to make sure that only rodents and not pets, people, or non-target species have access to the inside of the stations. So as not to draw attention to the fact that you have rodent stations on the outside of your home, many stations look like black boxes, fake rocks, and even circuit boxes. Although liquid rodenticides can be used in these stations, most often a solid or gel rodenticidal bait is placed in the station.
Professional exterminators and pest management professionals can apply a rodenticide dust to gaps and crevices. This dust is placed on rodent entrances and the rodents consume the rodenticidal dust when they groom themselves. The dust can be very effective in circumstances where the rodents are not eating the bait. This method is reserved for pest control professionals only as the rodenticidal dust is not readily available to homeowners.
Repellants are another option that homeowners use to combat rodent infestations. Repellents can be very effective in limited circumstances. Ultrasonic repellents that are plugged into an outlet and emit an ultrasonic sound are not very effective in my opinion. I have seen many active rodent infestations that are thriving in areas that have these ultrasonic devices installed. Granular repellents utilize an odor to repel the rodents. Most of the time the odor is a mothball type smell that you are to sprinkle around the outside of the home. Not only do people not like the smell, rain and other weather conditions will impact and diminish the effectiveness of the repellent.
The only repellent that I have seen work on a consistent basis was one in which the repellent had a spicy flavor to it. The situation that this works the best is when rodents are chewing on a specific area or on wires. The spicy repellent can be applied to the specific areas where the rodents are chewing that it should stop them from chewing. Of course, you need to read the directions and apply only as the label dictates. Watch out for staining and for where pets have access before you apply.
We are experts in resolving rodent issues in residential and commercial properties. If you have been fighting a rodent infestation for too long, give us a call and we can get you on the path to being rodent free!
Maybe it happens every year, like the changing of the seasons or the turning of the page on the calendar. Maybe you’ve just been awakened from a great slumber at 2am and this is the first time that you have heard the sound. The scratching, squeaking, rustling sound of mice in your home. In this article, we will explore why you got mice and what you can do now to help prevent it from happening again.
Mice, like you and me, require some basic necessities to sustain life. The big three requirements are food, water, and shelter. Mice can, and often do, get their water through their food source. This means that as a homeowner, you can eliminate some prime rodent necessities to lower your chance of getting mice.
Prevention always starts on the outside of the home. Even if you are currently having a rodent issue, inspecting the outside of the home can shed some light on where and how the mice are entering your home. Look for areas where there is a hole in your home from the outside to the inside. Check where any water pipes, electrical lines, HVAC lines come out of the house. Are there gaps or crevices where they come through the wall? How about the seal at the bottom of your garage door and basement door? These are all common ways for mice to enter the house.
Make sure that all food, including pet food, is in secured packaging or containers. Mice can chew through shockingly strong materials, but will often not expend the effort if there is an easier way.