The winter months are brutal. Sure, the holidays help lessen the misery but for most Americans, we really hate the winter. A recent survey found that only 7% of Americans actually enjoy the winter chill. Scraping off the cars, shoveling the driveway and salting the walkways so we don’t fall and kill ourselves are just a few of the “joys” of this frigid season. Not to mention the seemingly endless gloom when winter seems to last months and months on end. It’s as if the “winter blues” are contagious and the only cure is the warmer rays of spring sunshine. As difficult as winter is to get through, you cannot become complacent. You need to clear the fog and stay alert because, with winter cold setting in, rodents are looking for shelter. Your home is just what they need to stay alive.
Rodents are parasites to your home
Parasite is a dirty word. You wouldn’t want to learn that you had parasites feeding off of you and it is just as horrifying to find out that you have parasitic pests feeding off your home. Rodents are one of the worst home parasites of the pest world. They sneak into your home and will steal, eat, chew and destroy whatever they can get their paws on. The nature of a parasite is to live off its host and benefit by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense. At your expense. And the expense of a rodent infestation can be very great indeed. With a 2-4 year lifespan, rodents do a good job at finding ways to survive through winter and that is because they are cunning at breaking into homes, garages, sheds, businesses, vehicles and much more to wait out the winter. Their survival rate increases if these places have easily accessible food. Your home is the perfect target in the wintertime. Most homeowners are none the wiser as these rodents hideout so secretly. It isn’t until their infestation grows bigger that homeowners become suspicious.
Early signs of rodent infestations
The reason rodents are such a problem is that they are so good at sneaking around. If they lumbered around like elephants or cackled loudly like hyenas, rodent infestations wouldn’t be a thing, but the problem is that rodents are quiet and secretive. When their numbers have grown so substantially that they let their guard down a bit more, that is when homeowners begin to notice their presence. By then, however, the damage has been done and there is a real problem you need professional help to get rid of. If you are clever and can keep your eyes open, you can learn to spot the early signs of a rodent intrusion. Here are some things to watch for:
- Droppings along the walls or behind appliances and furniture that look like black or brown grains of short rice
- Chew marks on boxes, bags and bins anywhere in your home
- Sounds of scraping or clawing within the walls or in the ceiling
- Nesting materials such as shredded paper, fabric or plant matter
If you notice any one of these signs, do not dismiss it. Call a rodent control expert at Pointe Pest Control.
Professional rodent control is the answer
If you have a rodent infestation, do not try and perform DIY rodent control to save money. First, this does not save money because the average homeowner does not possess the knowledge, know-how or tools to safely and effectively remove an infestation. Rodents are dangerous and exposure to their nest or feces without adequate protection leaves you vulnerable to hantavirus, leptospirosis and many others potentially deadly diseases they carry. Don’t let your home become a host to these parasitic rodent infestations. Protect your home and family this winter by scheduling routine rodent control.
