Rodent Extermination FAQ
How do you perform an exclusion?
Exclusions can involve a variety of processes. For holes in the envelope of your building, we’ll use sealing materials that can’t be chewed through. Often, we utilize materials that contain a wire mesh, since rodents can’t bite through the metal. For pipes, vents, and other components of your building that extend from the interior to the exterior, we’ll use metal flashing, concrete mortar, plaster, or a similar material (depending on the circumstances) to completely seal both the interior and exterior connection. Vents and windows should be difficult for rodents to reach, and a screen should be installed to protect the opening. For doors, the threshold and flashing can close up any holes that might otherwise exist. If you have a gap between your foundation and your flooring, we’ll utilize rodent-proof flashing to provide protection around the lower part of your home. For drains and pipes, we’ll utilize flashing on interior and exterior joints, and we’ll utilize metal drain covers with small grate openings.
What to do with rodents that are already in a home?
We use a series of traps and poisons, depending on the severity of the infestation. We’ll check back with you and your property to assess the status of an infestation. We’ll continually monitor your property until we’re certain that all rodents are wiped out. We also lay traps to that can be checked in case any rodents do come back.
What diseases do rodents carry?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) remind us that rodents carry a variety of diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Here’s their list of diseases which can be caused by a rodent infestation:
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome | Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome | Lassa Fever | Leptospirosis | Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM) | Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever | Plague | Rat-Bite Fever | Salmonellosis | South American Arenaviruses (Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Sabiá-associated hemorrhagic fever, Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever) | Tularemia
What You Can Do to Keep Rodents at Bay
You can take some precautions to keep mice from entering your abode. Here are a few tips you can follow to keep the chances of another infestation at a minimum.
Keep your home clean.
Mice, rats, and other rodents love small spaces, and they collect hair, paper, and scraps of clothing, among other things, to build their nests. It’s best to keep your home clean. Vacuum and sweep your floors regularly, and avoid letting too much dust settle throughout the house. Also, be wary that mice and other rodents like to build their nests in enclosed, dark spaces, so keep clutter off the floor where it may become a home for one of these pests.
Keep food locked up tight.
Your dropped crumbs become a full meal for a mouse. It’s best to keep your food well tucked away, and it’s important to keep your kitchen clean.
Consider a dog or a cat.
Dogs and cats are quite good at deterring rodents. Cats are known for their ability to catch mice and rats, and dogs can deter rodents from making your home theirs as well.
Set traps.
As soon as you see signs of a rodent, you should lay traps to ensure that you don’t get an infestation that can expand and take over your home. Check your traps regularly to see if rodents are active in your house.
Schedule regular inspections.
If your home is prone to a rodent infestation, or you’ve had infestations in the past, you should have regular inspections to ensure that these pests don’t make their way into your abode.
Rid Your Home of Rodents Today
If you have a rodent problem, or if you’d like to take preventative measures with an exclusion, we can help. Reach out to us to learn more or to schedule an appointment. We provide rodent extermination and exclusion services for folks throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange County.
