The autumn has set in, and we all know what that means. Mice, rats, and other vermin will be making their way into your home…
What?
Were you thinking about spiced cider, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all the other holidays? It’s tempting to focus on the sugar and spice, and while autumn and the winter are great times for the holidays, you’ll have to take some precautions to winter-proof your home against not just the cold, but also pests.
Winter-Proof Your Home Against Rodents
Living in a location such as Minnetonka, MN or anywhere else in greater Twin Cities area, winter-proofing your homes against vermin is important. The colder the weather gets, the more motivation vermin have to make themselves unwanted house guests. In Minnetonka, the winters can be especially cold. We often find ourselves dealing with vermin problems in this area as a result.
Think about it. We live in our homes because they are warm and comfy (or likewise cool and comfy during the summer). With housing, man can beat back nature, but that also makes our homes attractive for other creatures that would like to avoid the elements. When cold autumn days roll around, your house is going to look all the more attractive for mice and rats. That comfortable indoor climate is just as good for vermin as it is for you.
Meanwhile, homes have other amenities that pests will appreciate, such as plentiful food and small areas they can hide within. Fact is, rats and mice will enjoy the modern amenities provided by your Minnetonka home as much as anyone else.
Should You Worry About Mice In Your Home?
Mice actually make pretty good pets. They’re smart and have easy care. Believe it or not, they can be quite cuddly and entertaining. Some mice are even kind of adorable. Rats aren’t bad pets either, even though they may not be as cute. So, should you really care about having a few unwanted rodent guests? Unfortunately, yes. The mice you might buy from a pet store are going to differ from the vermin infiltrating your home. Such wild pests will pose a threat to your family and home.
Wild mice, rats, and other vermin are vectors for diseases. For example, consider that mice spread hantavirus. This disease comes from mice droppings that eventually evaporate into dust that humans can breathe in. First, humans will experience flu-like symptoms. Then, after only a few days, you and your family will be unable to breathe, and your kidneys will begin to fail. Sounds really cute and cuddly, right? Mice can spread other fun, cuddly diseases as well, even the bubonic plague (carried by rats and mice, alike). By allowing rats, mice, and other vermin into your home, you are exposing family and pets to diseases and even fleas.
Health should be your focus, but the damage wrought by pests isn’t limited “just” to health. Rodents can chew through wires, damaged wood, and litter your house with feces and urine. Rodents can drive your cats and dogs up the wall as well. They can get into and contaminate your food, introduce flees to your house, and cause various other problems.
Rodents have even caused fires! A chewed wire or damaged electronics can cause sparks. This, in turn, can cause a fire to start. Even a small spark can quickly grow into a large fire.
So, to sum up, the dangers posed by mice:
- Pests are a vector for diseases
- Mice can contaminate food
- Vermin can destroy wiring, wood, and other parts of your house
- Mice can even cause fires
Long story short, when autumn rolls around, it’s important to prevent pests from infiltrating your home. And if vermin have already found their way into your Minnetonka house or other property, it’s important to kick them out or eliminate them. However, the best bet is to prevent rodents from entering your home in the first place.
Quick Tips For Making Your Home Rodent Resistant
Rodents are going to be drawn to your home for the warmth.
However, if they find a food source indoors, they might decide to bunker down for good. Even when the summer rolls around, they might just stay. Further, if rodents know food is in the house, they’ll have more motives to explore any and everywhere. So, seal up all of the food sources. Yes, all of them, including cat and dog food.
Next, do a walk around of your home. Are there any gaps to the outside? Perhaps an ill-fitting pipe or a hole in your wall? If so, these gaps need to be sealed. Knowing where and what to look for can be difficult. If you want to seal the outside of your Minnetonka home to prevent rodents from entering, it’s best to consult with pest professionals.
A pro will be able to identify some less obvious gaps and will know how to properly and safely seal them. A pro can also look for tell-tale signs of entry. Mice or rats may already be present, you may have simply missed the signs. Some vermin are quite good at remaining hidden, but a professional pest control expert will be able to sniff out even the cleverest of rodents.
Some “gaps” can’t be permanently sealed, like your front door. However, there are steps you can take, such as installing brush strips, which will make your doors harder for rodents to infiltrate. These strips will seal gaps, keeping the heat (and AC) in and keeping vermin out. You’d be surprised at how small of a space that a large rat can squeeze through. A mouse? Just about any gap at all is enough.
A lot of people around Minnetonka love warming up by the fire. Unfortunately, rodents love using wood piles for shelter. If you have chopped wood on your property, you should elevate it by at least 18 inches and keep it away from the house. This will make it less attractive to rodents, and if they do move into your wood pile, they won’t be able to easily upgrade to the house.
There are many other steps you can take to make your home more vermin resistant. For example, by sealing up cabinets and gaps indoors, you make it more difficult for pests to move around. By reducing clutter, you give them less interior space. Of course, you could always get a cat. Not only will cats catch rodents, but their presence alone can deter vermin.
What To Do When Mice Are Already Present
If you’ve seen evidence or heard noises of rodents in your house, you need to remove them. You cannot tolerate this due to the risks posed to both your Minnetonka property and your family. There are some steps you can take on your own, such as setting up rodent traps. However, mechanical and poison traps can pose a risk to your pets and family if set up improperly.
Not only that, but it’s important to know whether your intruders are mice, or other types of vermin. The solutions that work for one type of pest won’t necessarily work for another. A trained pest control expert will be able to identify and address the specific threat.
Your Minnetonka Mouse & Rat Checklist:
- Look for signs of vermin (i.e., feces, chew marks)
- Call a professional pest control company if you find any signs
- Vermin-proof your home by sealing up gaps and taking other measures
- Call a professional pest control if you’re unsure of how to pest-proof your house
High Quality Rodent Removal In Minnetonka, MN
Further, unless you have experience in dealing with pests, you’ll be taking shots in the dark. A trained rodent removal expert can look for signs of infiltration, lay down traps, and seal your home. So, if pests have made themselves at home in your house or cabin, consider seeking a professional rodent management company for your home or business in Minnetonka.
