A Handy Guide To Effective Rodent Control For El Centro Property Owners

When it comes to pests in El Centro, some are simply nuisances, while others can cause property damage or pose threats to the health and safety of humans. Here in El Centro, rodents are far more than a nuisance; not only can they cause all sorts of costly damage to the inside of a property, but they can also spread a number of harmful diseases. As such, you need to know the steps you can take to better protect your El Centro property from rodents.

Identifying Rodents Common To The Area

The two rodents you will most likely encounter here in El Centro are rats and mice. Although they are both home-invading pests, you will likely only ever have one or the other, almost never both at the same time.

Rats, the larger of the two, can grow to be up to nine inches long, not including their tail. They are normally gray, brown, or black in color. Mice, on the other hand, only grow to be a few inches long and are usually dust gray or brown in color. Mice have fur-covered ears and tails, while rats' ears and tails do not have fur. All rodents have large front incisors that constantly grow throughout their lives. To keep their teeth from overgrowing, rodents must constantly gnaw on objects.

How Rodents Get Inside & The Threats They Pose

More often than not, rodents will enter a property because there is easy access to food, water, or shelter. Therefore, the improper storage of food or trash, as well as leaky pipes or fixtures, could all be reasons for rodents to enter a home. As for how they get inside, despite their larger size, rodents are capable of fitting through tiny holes and crevices. Therefore, any hole leading into your home could be a way for rodents to get inside.

Once rodents do get into a home or business, they can cause all sorts of harm. As they need to constantly chew on objects, rodents can damage wiring, drywall, PVC piping, furniture, and just about any material they encounter.

Additionally, rodents are known to carry and transmit all sorts of diseases. Not only do they carry diseases themselves, but they can also contaminate surfaces with their urine, feces, and saliva. Diseases rodents have been known to spread include salmonellosis, tularemia, LCM, rat-bite fever, plague, and hantavirus.

Rodent Prevention Techniques

Rodents often will enter a home because there is easy access to food or water. Therefore, taking the proper steps to limit access to food and water sources goes a long way in keeping rodents out. To help prevent rodents from gaining access, you need to:

• Properly store all food in airtight containers or the refrigerator.

• Wipe up any spills from countertops or floors immediately. 

• Take out the trash regularly.

• Store all trash in containers with tight-fitting lids.

• Fix any leaky pipes or fixtures in the home.

• Seal off any holes around the exterior of your home including under eaves and on the roof.

The Most Effective Rodent Control Solution

Even if you utilize all the rodent prevention techniques at your disposal, you could still end up having to deal with a rodent infestation around your property. If you do discover a rodent infestation, don’t hesitate to call the professionals here at Imperial County Pest Control for assistance right away. Not only will we effectively eliminate any pest infestation with which you are dealing, but we will also work with you to better protect your home from future infestations. Don’t let rodents run rampant around your property. Give us a call today and get started with residential or commercial pest management services.