Rodents like mice, rats, and squirrels might be cute in pictures or family movies but having them enter your home is more than a frustrating inconvenience. They can cause extensive damage to your home, block your best cleaning efforts, and spread disease. We’ve seen too many homes hurt by these small animals and are here to help!
How Rodents Can Damage Your Concord, NC Home
During more extreme temperatures like summer or winter, rodents often search for safety and comfort in the small cracks, crevices, and openings of your home. Because of their size, they’re able to fit into areas as small as ¼ inch. That means that any small opening or crevice on the exterior of your home can seem like an open invitation to these critters. And, because they are prolific breeders, one or two mice or rats can become a large family living in your walls. In fact, the average mouse litter can have up to 8 babies and they can have up to 8 litters a year. That can quickly become a very large issue!
So what can these small animals really do in terms of home damage?
- Nest Building. Once inside your home, mice can navigate your home in the spaces between your walls and floors, making it very difficult to get rid of them. And because these spaces often have small holes with access to your kitchen or dining room, mice will stay cozy in their “in-between” spaces until you’ve gone to bed and come out to hunt for any scraps that have been left out after dinner or even crumbs that fall while cooking. They can even live off pet food that is left out.
- Damage to Wiring, Pipes, and Insulation. Rodents have no concern for your home’s value, and they see wiring as possible food or something to chew through to get where they need to go. Because they often live in your walls, this can mean severing important electrical lines or wiring behind electronics like your TV, speakers, and more, as well as damage to pipes and insulation to help build their nests.
- Carry Disease. Rodents often carry disease and have no qualms about leaving their droppings where you eat, sleep, or cook. They’ll often build nests where they have the most access to both warmth and food, so kitchens are a prime location.
How to Prevent Rodent Infestations & How Acme Pest Control Can Help
At Acme Pest Control, we take a multi-step approach to ridding your home of pests and keeping them out. First, we seal any openings on the exterior of your home, especially where water, gas, or power lines enter with expanding foam and caulk. We leave traps and bait to catch any current critters and do regular inspections to clear the traps and reset them. We recommend our customers keep all food in sealed containers, put pet food away whenever it’s not eating time, and keep the kitchen and dining area free of crumbs and spills.
We don’t expect you to tackle a pest problem on your own! Our experienced team is here to help. For an active rodent issue in your Concord, NC home or for prevention services, call us at 800-826-9188 or schedule your service online!
