Most people tend to concentrate their rodent control and management efforts on getting rid of the pests. However, proofing your home is equally necessary if you want to keep your home free from these creatures. Rodent proofing aims at preventing them from getting to your home at all, and this saves you the time, cost and stress of having to deal with an infestation.
Some of the best means of keeping rodents from your home without using poison include;
Avoid feeding the birds from the compound
Feeding the birds by throwing food to them at the compound will only attract the rodents. Birds rarely eat up everything, and they are likely to leave the grains and other foods on the ground providing free meals for the crawling pests. To avoid this, avoid feeding birds around your compound and if you have to do it, clean up the area as soon as they leave.
Sealing cracks and holes
All the cracks and holes near wiring and pipes should be sealed. The best way would be using a rodent mesh to fill them. Ensure to seal even the tiniest holes. Some rodents like mice are capable of passing through holes as small as the tip of the index finger. Rats, on the other hand, can pass through holes as tiny as the tip of a thumb. Concentrate on roofs and the foundation as they are the major entry points of these pests and ensure there are no cracks left unsealed.
Avoid leaving the garage door open
Rodents love garages for shelter. This is because here, they can easily find food from the clutter and at the same time find shelter. Avoid leaving the door open for an extended period and especially at night as this will be inviting them to infest your home.
Ensure to keep the basement clean
Most people may ignore this fact, but keeping your basement, and arctic clean highly reduces the chances of pest infestation, and especially rodents. This is because when it is clean, and there are no clutters, you can quickly tell if there are any crawling creatures unlike when the area has items scattered all over or are in piles as this will provide a hideout for them.
Proper food storage
Make sure to store food well and in suitable containers that are hard to break. Most rodents can chew the cheap containers to reach food. If they are kept anywhere especially the crawl areas, you will be providing the pests with a source of food, and they will keep coming back. Make sure to use sturdy containers like metallic cans with good lids to store food.
Storing firewood
Keep firewood away from the ground at least 20 feet from the foundation of your house and 2 feet from the ground. This is because once they get access to the wood pile; they make nests which can be hard to spot.
Avoid stocking 50 pounds of pet food in the garage
The smell or aroma of pet food tends to attract these creatures. Therefore, you have to keep the dog or bird food in airtight containers. Storing the food in that metal can with a tight lid may help to prevent the rodents from reaching the food but the smell will only attract them to build colonies in your garage. Make sure the containers are airtight such that no aroma can come out of it and store them in small quantities.
Keep plantations away from your home compound
Although it feels nice to have plants mainly trees in the compound, it is wise if you avoid keeping it bushy. This will only be providing a perfect place for the rodents to make nests since it will be hard to spot them. Ensure to trim tree leaves and clear any dense foliage around the compound. However, you can plant some rodent repellent plants near the compound like mint which helps to keep the creatures away.
Rodents are among the most common pests that homeowners have to deal with. They are known for chewing wood, papers, and electrical wires just to mention a few. This can lead to significant losses since they could eat valuable documents and also once they chew electrical cables, it could lead to an electrical fire leading to damages and injuries.
Following the mentioned tips will help keep them away before the infestation becomes a problem for you. Also, make sure to clear any vegetation near your home and get rid of any stacks of stones around your house. These crawling creatures will look for any convenient place to get food and shelter, and once you make your home suitable for such, they will create colonies making it their permanent habitat. If you notice you have a rodent infestation in your home, contact a professional to help you eliminate the pests and also give you further advice on how to avoid a pest attack.
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