Rodents Cause Problems During The Winter…

Here’s how to deal with them…

Winter is upon us and the temperature is dropping. This is the time of year when rats and mice come in from the cold – and who can blame them? Just like us, they require food, water, and shelter – all of which are available in the majority of buildings. Unfortunately, whether it’s at your home or your business, rats and mice will most likely bring you a whole lot of grief. In this blog we’ll look at some of the damage rats and mice can cause, along with measures you can take to prevent such rodents invading your premises – plus what you should do if they already have.

Why you don’t want them…

Some of the diseases carried by rats and passed on to us include Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma Gondii, Leptospirosis, and Hantavirus. This alone is justification enough to not want them in your home or business – but it’s certainly not the only reason. These rodents have quite a reputation for damaging property, both cosmetically and structurally. One of their favourite pastimes is chewing through the insulation around our electrical cables. This, of course, results in a large number of fires every year – possibly a quarter of all electrical fires in buildings, according to estimates from the insurance sector. Added to that is flooding caused by ruptured water pipes, and even death from gas leaks, again caused by chewing through pipes.

A Damaged Reputation can be hard to rebuild…

It’s pretty obvious that rodents in your place of business is an absolute no-no. Whether you deal in foodstuffs or not, any evidence of rats or mice in your premises will have your customers leaving – potentially forever. And we all know how fast bad news travels these days, with the world and his neighbour on social media, and review sites seemingly everywhere. Coming back from that sort of publicity will be a struggle.

So, let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to prevent an infestation – at home and at work.

1. Keep things tidy – Rats and mice will come in for warmth in the winter, but they’ve been living somewhere outside beforehand. They like places where they can find shelter and hidey-holes such as junk cars, old washers and dryers, and woodpiles. Getting rid of these potential habitats will mean less chance of nesting sites at your property.
2. Don’t allow access – Rats can squeeze through tiny gaps, so make sure those gaps are sealed up so they can’t gain access to sheds and pipes, etc. Check windows, doors, and walls too, and be vigilant because what you may think is an insignificant little crack, may well be big enough for them to enter your home or business.
3. Be careful with food – Many people like to feed the birds, especially in winter when we feel they might be struggling. This is ok, but be careful. Rats like to come out and feed at night, and any bird food scattered on the ground will definitely attract them to your property. Other things you can do are make sure your bins have lids on, don’t leave full bin bags laying around, and pick up any old windfalls instead of leaving them out to rot. Pet food too is a major attraction, so store food in sealed containers and don’t leave food out when your pets have finished eating.
4. Check around locally – Rats breed quickly, and if you’ve got them, the chances are you’re not alone. That also means that if a neighbour is having a problem, it won’t be long before you will too. As a property owner you’re legally obliged to keep premises rodent free, and so is your neighbour – and if there’s a threat to property or health you need to report it to the local authority.

It’s always best to get expert help 

So, there are a few things you can do that may prevent rats or mice infesting your home or business. However, because rats are highly mobile and multiply fast, keeping them in check is difficult unless you know exactly what you’re doing. That means if you’ve already seen the signs of rats it’s too late, and you’ll need to call in experts like Abate Pest Management whose highly-trained technicians will take care of your problem in a professional and competent manner.

How we work

When you call Abate Pest Management, we’ll either give you advice, or we’ll arrange for a local technician to visit you and discuss your pest problem. If it’s necessary we’ll arrange a survey and give you our recommendations and a quote for our services. We’ll then treat your problem, making as many visits as required until it’s taken care of. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so there’s no risk to you – if we can’t get rid of your pest problem, there’s nothing to pay.

All Abate Pest Control Technicians are BPCA certified and highly qualified. Visit our Rodent page on our website or call us now on 0800 980 9767 to let us know how we can help you eliminate your unwanted pests.