Cold weather isn’t the only thing to be worried about this season. With it comes rodents invading your home during the winter looking for a warmer place to set up shop. Don’t let rodents be the Scrooge that steals your Christmas, instead aim more for the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,”
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The good news is that here at 1st Styrke, we want to help you achieve that goal. Not only do we provide extensive rodent control services, but we also want to help by providing you with some of our top recommendations to rodent-proof your house this winter.
Store Away All of Your Food
One simple way to help prevent rodents from being attracted to your home is by keeping all of your countertops clear of any food remnants or residues. It is crucial in the colder months, as rodents look for warmer environments with food to provide them as they are trapped inside.
Keep an eye for hard-to-reach places, such as underneath large kitchen appliances. Make sure that all of your food items, including in the pantry, are properly sealed. Another vital source of food that often gets overlooked is your pet food. You’ll want to be sure to store any pet food the same way you do your own.
Keep Firewood off the Ground
If you have any firewood storage in your home or garage, you’ll want to be mindful about how you place it. Because firewood is a popular nesting place for rodents, keep it at least 18” off the ground, making it difficult for them to access. Whenever possible, store firewood as far away from your house.
Remove Any Clutter
Clutter around your home is where rodents thrive because it offers them so many different convenient hiding spots. While your primary household might be clutter-free, make sure you aren’t overlooking less common areas like your attic, basement, and garage.
If you have multiple boxes in storage together, this too can be inviting for the pesky critters. Whenever possible, elevate this type of storage off the ground to make it less appealing for them.
Install Sweeps or Brush Strips
Sweeps or brush strips are not only a great way to help keep rodents out of your home but are also a great way to help keep your warm air in. If you have concerns about the installation, there are adhesive strip backings available. Otherwise, call our technicians at 1st Stryke today to help you rodent-proof your home for the winter months.
Maintain Your Landscaping
We are lucky enough that in Southern California, the winters are never too unforgiving that we cannot keep our landscaping maintained. Still, it is good practice to perform one good clean-out before it gets too cold for comfort.
Be sure to trim away extending branches that might come near your home, any overgrown vegetation, or accumulations of leaves throughout your yard.
Seal Points of Entry
The most effective way to keep rodents out of your home is by sealing up any possible points of entry available to them. Remember that both rats and mice can squeeze into any opening larger than ¼” despite their size.
Check crucial areas of your home, such as cracks in walls, piping gaps, window screen tears, and chimneys. Whenever in doubt, our certified technicians at 1st Stryke undergo rigorous training to identify potential entry points to your home.
Let the rodent experts at 1st Stryke assist you in rodent-proofing your home. Give us a call today at (877) 787-9531 for your complimentary quote on rodent control in your home.
