Say Goodbye To Rodents: Tips For Effective Control For Homes In The Bay Area

In life, there are many things that cause people to have stress. Some stressful things can be easily avoided. Others cannot. One thing we find that stresses locals out here in the Bay Area is rodents. The question is, how hard are these furry pests to control? If you know what you are doing, you should have no trouble identifying, removing, and preventing these invasive creatures. This is why we are here today, making sure you understand rodents and have the tools you need to control them locally. We'll tell you everything you need to know about rodent control in the Bay Area. Call our team at Bay Pest if you would like to hear about our advanced service options to deal with these terrible home pests. We will share with you your options for rodent control and help you find a plan that will best address the issues you are having. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more about rodents and find some simple methods to identify and prevent these invasive creatures.

Signs Of Infestation: How To Identify Rodent Activity

Before we break down rodent control and your options to handle these pests locally, we think you should know how to identify these creatures inside and around your home. Sometimes, these pests are easy to spot and make their presence known. This usually occurs when infestations are severe. More specifically, pests like mice and rats become bolder when their access to food is limited. If these furry rodents are crawling around your home at night and their friends keep stealing every little scrap from them, they will start to come out during the day. Keeping this in mind, it is best if you identify rodents before problems get to this point. For this, you should know some common signs of rodents. Here are some clues these pests leave behind and where to find them inside your home.

• Inspect your food storage areas for damage to food boxes and rodent droppings. Rodent droppings are small, pinched at the end, and oval-shaped. 
• Check your attic and look for damage to insulation, fabrics, paper, and similar items. Rodents tear up these materials and use them to build their nests.
• Look in and around storage boxes for little rodent nests. Be careful while you are doing this not to stick your hand in a tight space where these pests might be hiding.
• Examine your floorboards and baseboards for grease marks. Both rats and mice tend to travel in consistent routes and often travel along walls instead of in the open. Over time their bodies will leave grease and dirt along surfaces where they travel.
• As infestations grow, you may begin to notice increasing odors. Take a deep breath and see if you smell ammonia. This could be from rodent urine. Another good thing to do is check secluded areas like basements, attics, and storage rooms for urine pillars and stains. 
• Walk along the walls of your home and check baseboards for holes chewed by rodents. It is also recommended to look for gnaw marks on furniture and other hard items indoors.
• Check outlets around your home and make sure they are working. If an outlet randomly stops providing power, have it looked at. Rodents living inside walls often chew on electrical wires. 
• Keep your ears alert at night. If you hear scampering, gnawing, or other odd sounds, it could be a sign of mice or rats indoors.

It is not always easy to know when a home has an active rodent problem. If you even suspect these pests are around, let us know. Our team at Bay Pest is highly trained to spot and stop all sorts of invasive creatures. We will find out what types of rodents are present inside or around your home and inform you what we find. Your service technician will also give you options for control.

Rodent Dangers: Health Risks And Property Damage

Of all the things you should know about rodents, you should be fully aware of the problems they cause when they come indoors. Now, not every mouse or rat is dangerous. If these pests do not eat dirty things, climb through contaminated areas, or pick up pests like fleas or ticks, they are typically harmless. This is why people can own pet rodents with no issues. The problem comes with wild rodents. When these furry creatures are left to their own devices, they consume nasty things, crawl through unsanitary areas, and regularly pick up and carry dangerous parasitic pests. All of this can lead to the spread of disease. You could get sick simply from interacting with a surface these pests have crawled over. You can also contract diseases from ingesting contaminated foods or beverages or through a bite. Mice, rats, fleas, and ticks all bite and spread disease in this way. Unfortunately, the risks associated with rodent infestations in your home don't end there. Let's talk about some other problems rodents cause and then find a solution to keep them away from your property.

The other major problem associated with rodents is the threat of property damage. Rats and mice, the two most common invasive species, use their sharp teeth to gnaw on anything and everything they can. Sometimes they chew just to file their teeth down. Other times they nibble through things that are in their way. This results in extensive damage all throughout homes and across properties. Common rodent damage includes holes through walls, torn-up insulation, damaged furniture, shredded books, and gnaw marks. In some cases, rodent damage can even include severely damaged utility piping, severed electrical wires, and electrical fires resulting in significant damage, if not total destruction of property. The best way to avoid these problems is with some form of control. Here are some of the options you have today to combat these furry pests. 

Professional Rodent Control: The Safe Way To Remove An Infestation

There is no simple method to deal with rodents locally. Often, a combination of professional strategies is required to handle these problematic pests. At Bay Pest, we offer a wide range of services to identify, remove, and prevent these invasive creatures. It all starts with a thorough inspection. Our team members will find out where rodents are hiding inside and around your home. Once we know the extent of your problems, we will inform you of what we think will work best for removal. Some options we offer include exclusion services, one-way door installation, traps, bait, and glue boards. The most important part is exclusion combined with a one-way door installation. This allows these pests to leave your home and prevents them from getting back indoors. Utilizing bait, traps, and glue boards with this is what leads to complete control. If you are still curious about our rodent control services, check out our rodent control service page. It offers more detailed explanations about all of our offerings. If you are ready to schedule your Bay Area home for a service visit, reach out to our team today. We will answer questions you have about these pests and help you schedule an appointment for your home and property. 

Rodent Exclusion Tips: Safeguard Your Property From Infestations

Now that you know more about professional rodent control near you, we want to make sure you have the tools to keep these pests out of your home. Of course, professional rodent exclusion is always available here at Bay Pest. This does not mean, however, that you cannot attempt to prevent these pests on your own. To help you with this, here are eight advanced exclusion and prevention strategies to use inside and around your home.

1. Inspect your home's windows and doors for damage. Fix any damage you find and make sure they are properly sealed so rodents cannot squeeze in around their trim.
2. Make sure all of your home's window and door screens are in good working condition. Keep any unscreened windows and doors you have shut when you are not using them.
3. Identify holes, gaps, and cracks around your home's exterior foundation. Fill these in using some steel wool and liquid cement.
4. Store all of your leftovers, pet food, and pantry items inside glass, metal, or plastic containers. Make sure that they have tight-fitting lids.
5. Clean your trash cans when they get dirty, empty them regularly, and make sure that all of your bins have lids that fit snugly and cannot be pried open. 
6. Fix leaks in pipes and fixtures. In addition to this, repair damage to your home's gutters and make sure they are clean and working properly.
7. Clean your home thoroughly and often. With this, address food and drink messes right after they occur.
8. Reduce clutter inside and around your home to eliminate potential hiding spots where rodents might build nests.

Call our team at Bay Pest for more information about our advanced rodent control service options or to make an appointment for your Bay Area home and property.