Everything You Need to Know About Rodent Prevention In Frisco

The common rodents we have in Frisco are the same pests that plague people throughout the country. House rodents are house mice, roof rats, and Norway rats. Of the three, Norway rats are the least troublesome - though still a whole lot of trouble. They're not quite as bad as the other two because Norway rats actually prefer to live in the soil. This has led many folks to call them yard rodents.

Unfortunately, when these yard rodents get into Frisco homes, they sometimes stay. If you're curious about what you should know about the rodents that get into man-made structures in Frisco, you're in luck. That's what we're going to be covering today. Here is a quick guide to common rodent pests in Frisco.

What You Should Know Most About House Rodents

It is essential to understand the threat rodents present when they get into your home. If you don't, you may not be inclined to take the advice we're going to share with you in this article.

Rodents are a medical threat. While most of the illnesses associated with mice and rats won't have you running to the hospital, you should know that it is a real possibility.
Rodents cause contamination when they expose sensitive areas to feces, urine, and dirty hairs.
Rodents may chew on structures to gain entrance. The holes they create can let other Frisco pests into your home. If you prefer to not have spiders, centipedes, scorpions, and other painful pests getting in, it is best to prevent rodents from creating these holes.
The holes rodents create in your exterior can let rainwater in. This can lead to wood damage. The greater threat is the potential for black mold which can cause dangerous and debilitating sickness.
Rodents bring ticks and fleas in with them. The list of diseases spread by ticks and fleas is long. If you're bitten by an infected flea or tick it can create an immediate medical concern or lead to lifelong chronic illness. Fortunately, both are rare.
Rodents are known to chew on wires. This can lead to a house fire. Experts believe that 20 to 25 percent of fires that do not have a definable cause are likely to be associated with a rodent infestation.

Rodents are small animals but they can be a big problem. These are only a few of the ways mice and rats can impact your life, and we only covered them in brevity. If you don't recognize the threat rodents present, we strongly recommend you do your own research.

Rodent Prevention Tips

Mice and rats can be deterred and controlled with a simple multi-pronged strategy. The categories break down like this:

Sanitation

Keep your garbage in covered containers and routinely clean your containers to remove odors that can attract rodents.
Remove yard clutter. Rodents have poor eyesight and will use clutter to help them navigate. They also hide underneath these objects. Remove anything from your yard that doesn't need to be there and pay particular attention to scrap wood, brush piles, leaf litter, and other organic materials.
Clean your recycling. If you store recycling items in your garage or shed, you can attract unwanted attention if the items aren't clean.

Harborage

Apply fencing material to block rodents from getting underneath your deck, stairs, shed, or other structures on your property.
Trim your landscaping to thin out any areas that are dense.

Exclusion

Use a caulking gun to fill in holes and seal gaps.
Make sure you have working door seals.
Apply metal flashing to areas rodents are gnawing.
Apply hardware cloth to keep rodents out of louvers.
Make sure all your vents have covers.

Food Sources

Remove bird feeders or move them to at least 20 feet from your exterior.
If you have nut-producing trees, pick up acorns and other nuts that fall in your yard.
If you have fruit-bearing trees, pick up fruit that falls in your yard.
Mice and rats eat bugs. It is good to have a pest control service plan to reduce bugs as a food source for rodents.
Pick up pet waste. While certainly not a preferred food source, urban mice and rats can take to eating dog droppings.

Address Access Routes

Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
Put wire mesh in downspouts.

Traps

If the conditions on your property are difficult to address, or you have higher than normal rodent pressures, it might be necessary to implement a trapping strategy. For the best results, we recommend hiring a licensed home pest control professional.

Frisco Professional Pest Control

If you're in the Frisco area, you're in our service area. Connect with Adams Exterminating Company to help you keep rodents out of your home and to reduce the bugs rodents eat. Ask us about Perimeter Pest Control, Home Guardian Pest & Termite Control, and Home Guardian + Pest & Termite Control and Mosquitoes. We can help!