Homeowners are usually only concerned about rodents in the winter months and don’t think of them as a problem during the summer months, and while it’s true that rodents are generally considered more of a winter pest, they have been known to find their way inside homes during the summer as well. There are a variety of reasons why rodents may enter your home in the summer including easy access to food that is left out in the yard, a lack of water nearby, or because doors and windows are left open more frequently, allowing them easier access to your home. It is important to take action to prevent rodent problems all year round, not just in the fall and winter!
All rodents, whether we’re talking about mice, squirrels, or rats, rodents, can cause a host of issues for homeowners. For starters, rodents have a constant need to chew, which doesn’t bode well for the wooden foundation and insulation of your home, or the items stored away in your attic. Rodents are also considered a fire hazard because they often chew through electrical wiring.
With rodents comes harmful bacteria; they pick up these harmful pathogens as they travel through filthy places like dumpsters and sewers. They bring these disease-carrying bacteria into your home and deposit them on counters, in drawers and cabinets, and more. Exposure to these germs can present some serious health risks for your family. In addition, rodent feces and urine, especially mouse and rat excrement, have been linked to diseases such as salmonellosis, leptospirosis, hantavirus, and more. If all of that isn’t bad enough, rodents carry parasites, too; mites, fleas, and ticks are the most common of these parasites and are dangerous for humans and pets.
A big issue with summer rodent infestations is the fact that they can create entry points for a variety of other pests to enter your home. This is particularly problematic during the winter time when rodents are actively searching for a place to settle in for the colder months. If there is a point of easy entry into your home, rodents and other pests will take advantage of it and gain access to your home. These entry points don’t have to be very large, either. Mice and rats can squeeze through a hole or crack the size of a dime; you might not even notice it! This is part of the reason why professional pest control is needed year-round.
Aiken Pest Control offers residents of the Aiken and Central Savannah River area pest protection plans that ensure that you’re covered all year long. As a part of this plan, we provide quarterly scheduled visits where a technician will inspect your property and help with prevention, as well as take care of any pest problems in your home. They will identify any entry points around your home that rodents could use to get inside and take care of them before winter comes and a much bigger rodent problem emerges. At Aiken, we’ve been helping homeowners with their rodent problems for over 50 years.