As far as living in and around Los Angeles California is concerned, after termites, rodents can easily be one the most destructive pests to have around when a property gets infested.
They can scurry in between walls and crevices, chew through drywall, contaminate floors and food preparation surfaces, chew through wood, electrical wires and cables, cardboard and even paper. No item in any property can be safe in the event of a rodent infestation, and depending on the species and the level of infestation, rats are known to spread various diseases like rat-bite fever and the infamous Hantavirus.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but deadly lung disease that mainly spreads by inhaling a virus found in the droppings and nesting material of infected wild rodents. In California, HPS is usually found in deer mice. Deer mice are grey to brown on top and white underneath. While not all mice carry the virus, it’s best to avoid contact with all wild rodents.
There is only so much you can do once an infestation occurs, its always best to hire the services of professional pest controllers at the earliest stage of rat and mice infestation. But as the saying goes, its always better be safe than sorry. That means, just as you would regularly clean and maintain your roof and gutters, pest infestation prevention measures should be in place on regular intervals (perhaps twice a year is better than none).
Here are basic, yet effective and inexpensive ways to rodent-proof your property using these pest control measures detailed below.
- Regular property maintenance (particularly identify water sources for pests (e.g. leaking taps and pipes, any cracks around kitchen sink or bath))
- Sealing up holes, gaps, cracks inside and outside the home
- Better store any items outside of the property (woodpiles, bricks, other natural items) (fertilizers for vegetable garden)
- Keep pet food inside the house
- Ensure that the garbage in tightly sealed, and regularly dispose it at least once a week
Practice Good Hygiene
Cleaning your home regularly is a basic requirement for warding off rodents, especially if we have children who are still learning to eat, thus may drop crumbs without noticing. House mouse love these little food crumbs such as bread. Also, what we mean by practice good hygiene is beyond the regular vacuuming, as in, unclog drains, dusting pantry, checking and sealing up food sources, keeping vents and entryways thoroughly cleaned and sealed. Trash outside the house should be thoroughly covered, regularly sprayed with disinfectant as scent of food is an open invitation for wildlife, rodents, rats and mice.
Having a ‘deep clean’ regimen regularly is also important for keeping your LA property rodent-free. A deep clean regimen means cleaning inside cupboards, cabinets, storage areas, and hard-to-reach areas in the house. It also means checking temperature and humidity to make sure your home is not welcoming to various pests.
Especially when Californian climate consistently fluctuates and the natural habitats of wild animals and rodents constantly changes due to fires. As it is the case in recent Northern California fires. When you suspect rat infestation simply contact Maximum Pest Control Services for wildlife removal and pest control solutions for neighborhoods such as San Fernando, Woodland Hills, Encino, Tarzana, Reseda, Bell Canyon, West Hills, Sherman Oaks, Mission Hills, Chatsworth, Sylmar, Calabasas, Northridge, North Hills, Studio City, Topanga, Granada Hills and others.
Try Mouse Trap
Mousetraps are simple to operate and use in any area you suspect to be infested as well as in various entryways. Common snap mouse traps are very inexpensive and they catch the rodent in question as soon as they touch the trap in any way. Although this process actually should be used for finding out if, and the level of mice infestation because its very difficult to eliminate large mice infestation by just using mouse traps you bought over the counter.
Do NOT Try Live Rat Trap
There are many stores that sell large multi catch traps promising you that you can trap rats. Perhaps you could, but our professional advice is that you do not attempt to do so. Although there are many reasons for us to say this, common deterrent should be “Large Rats not only can attack you, they can actually bite you”. And that’s the last thing you would want to expose yourself or your family to ‘rat bite’ which will most certainly be carrying a disease.
Professional Rat Exterminators such as Maximum Pest Control Services licensed and experience pest control and management technicians however may use rat traps (using safe methods) depending on the environment (e.g. commercial kitchen, warehouse), especially for commercial pest control where rat infestation is recurring.
What are Live Rat Traps
Live traps are made of strong metal bars and operate on automatically closing mechanism. Live traps can be environmentally friendly option as they can be reused multiple times. Such rat traps are troublesome to keep clean for do-it-yourselfers, and once again, they can be very dangerous tools for inexperienced operators.
What Other Options are Out There
Glue board traps (also known as mouse sticky traps) are sold in stores as another option for trapping rodents, these are basically a large sticker on a pad and can be effective against smaller mice but definitely not large rodents.
Check for and Close Gaps & Cracks
Its natural for almost all homes to eventually see cracks and gaps due to natural elements such as weather and wear and tear. But any type of crack and or gap can be used as a revolving door for rats and mice to go in and out of the property.
Rats and mice are very flexible mammals, a mouse can enter through 7-mm hole (that’s less than 1cm) whereas a rat can get through a 20-mm hole (to give you an idea, that is about the diameter of a dime).
Inspecting the siding on your property at least twice a year, looking around seams, trims, gutters, roof tiles. Depending on the gap or crack, you can fill ’em using various materials and solutions such as waterproof silicone caulk, foam sealant, steel wool or even cement.
Get Expert Solutions from Trusted Pest Control Experts Nearby LA Neighborhoods
We understand that controlling and managing all types of pest infestation can be difficult for most people (including inexperienced pest control companies around Los Angeles). When you are searching for trusted and affordable pest control companies, consider Maximum Pest Control Services by calling as we come to you fully equipped with experience and proven strategies to eliminate and remove all types of pests (rats, mice, rodents, bed bugs, wildlife, termites, ants and others).
Currently serving nearby Granada Hills, Encino, San Fernando, West Hills, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Reseda, Bell Canyon, Mission Hills, Chatsworth, Sherman Oaks, Sylmar, Calabasas, North Hills, Studio City, Topanga, Northridge and others.
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Maximum Pest Control Services serving Los Angeles communities by offering licensed and professional pest control both for residents and commercial properties. Our dedication coupled with proven to work cost-effective treatment option means that when it comes to getting rid of pests, you can rely on our experience and exceptional customer service.
