While there are many pests that can invade Lehi homes, rodents are some of the most common by far. Both mice and rats are frequent in the area, and they can both bring with them many health concerns and property damage issues.
In Lehi, there are three specific species of rodents you have to worry about:
- Black rats: Also known as roof rats, this species has the ability to climb and is often found on upper levels and in attics. They are dark brown to black in color.
- Norway rats: These rodents are also known as brown rats. They are brownish-grey with cream underbellies and are excellent swimmers.
- House mice: The common house mouse is brown-grey in color with a light-colored belly and a long, thin tail. They are only about six inches long, including their tails.
All three of these species can cause similar problems for homeowners in the area, but you’re unlikely to have an infestation of more than one at a time. While rats are slightly bigger and can do a bit more damage, mice reproduce more quickly. Because of this, they are all about equally bad to have around.
What Problems Do Rodents Cause?
Rodents are able to get inside easily because they can chew through so many materials. This allows them to make small entryways inside homes, and they can also fit through many small openings.
Mice can fit through holes the size of a dime, and rats can fit through spaces the size of a quarter. Then, once inside, mice and rats can cause a lot of property damage because of this ability to gnaw through everything from electrical writing to drywall to furniture.
However, the real concern with rodents is all of the health risks they pose. These include:
- They can spread many diseases, including hantavirus, rat-bite fever, tularemia, and salmonellosis.
- They often carry parasites, such as ticks and fleas. These parasites can spread illnesses like the Bubonic plague and Lyme disease.
- Rodent fur, urine, and droppings are linked to allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems.
There are so many problems that occur with a rodent infestation that it is wise to prevent them before they start.
Five Effective Rodent Prevention Tips
Because rodents can chew through many materials, including drywall and wood, they are particularly challenging to prevent. This is even more true because of their ability to squeeze through such tiny cracks and holes. But, there are still ways to make your property less attractive to mice and rats.
While the best way to handle rodents is with residential pest control help, you can also implement the following five steps to deter them:
- Look around the walls and foundation for openings. Seal these up with steel wool and wire mesh.
- Address underlying moisture problems by fixing any leaky pipes or faucets and ensuring good ventilation throughout the home.
- Always wipe up any food and drink spills, clean dirty dishes often, and keep floors mopped.
- Get lids for all garbage cans and make sure they fit securely so rodents can’t fit their way inside.
- Place wire mesh on vent openings. Also, get chimney caps to keep roof rats out.
Limiting access to food and minimizing entry points are great places to start for rodent prevention.
Keeping Rodents Away From Your Lehi Home For Good
The simplest and most effective way to both prevent and remove mice and rats is with help from the experts at TrueShield Pest Control. Instead of wasting your time and money trying to remove these dangerous pests, let our technicians handle the problem in no time.
We will eradicate any current infestations and work with you to provide ongoing preventive measures. It’s easy to get started. Just give us a call today to book an inspection.
