Did you know that a mouse can enter your home through a hole the diameter of a pencil & a rat can move in through the size of a quarter? As you can see, these furry pests don’t need much of a window of opportunity to infiltrate your living space and unfortunately, they can do a lot of harm once they do.

Here are 3 Great Reasons Why You Need to Rodent-Proof Your Home:

• More than 200 different kinds of germs can be passed by rodents!

• They can damage your dwelling by chewing, defecating & burrowing throughout your home & property.

• Rodents will gnaw on your electrical wires and can cause structural fires.

7 Tips to Rodent-Proof Your Home or Office:

• Tour your basement during the day & look for light filtering in through gaps, holes or incoming pipes or utility lines. Caulk the gaps with expandable foam mixed with steel wool.

• House, dryer & roof vents should be screened (make sure not to restrict airflow)

• Chimneys should have professional caps on them

• Garage doors & man doors should have door sweeps and/or weather stripping to seal any gaps. Weather stripping needs to extend 24” above ground on the garage doors

• Check crawl spaces and seal any entry gaps

• Trash receptacles should have tight fitting lids.

• Remove clutter & vegetation around your building, pools, hot tubs, sheds and air conditioners. This helps prevent areas of harborage.

5 Things You Need to Know About Bed Bugs

1. What Do Those Little Buggers Look Like?  Although most people have heard of bed bugs, few have actually seen them. Bed bugs are 4-5mm long with an oval, flat body shape. They are reddish brown after feeding and the babies are transparent until they feed.

2. How Do They Get Into Your Home? You may be surprised to learn that staying in hotels is one of the easiest ways to end up with bed bugs.

Here’s How You Can Avoid
Bringing Unwanted “Souvenirs”
Home from Your Next Trip:

After checking in, place your suitcase in bathtub before inspecting the room. (Tip: Toss a small flashlight in your suitcase before you leave home!)

Female bed bugs lay 1-5 eggs a day. They can live about a year as an adult and can go many months without feeding.

Begin by pulling the sheets back and inspecting the seam of the mattress. (You are looking for black fecal spots or the actual bug, which is normally the size of an apple seed).

Also look in corners of the room, along the headboard and in drawers. If found, ask for a room that does not border that room.

Inspect clothes when you pack to go home. Once home, unpack clothes on light colored surface and place all clothing in a plastic bag until you are able to wash and dry them. As an added precaution, vacuum your suitcase..

3. Where Do They Hang Out Once Inside Your Home? Obviously, your bed will be a  favorite spot… so be sure to check your mattress seams, tufts, buttons, bed frame, and box springs. They may also take up residence on couches, chairs, under carpeting, along walls, and behind switch plates and outlets. You may also find them inside night stands and dressers.

Again, you are looking for the actual bug or fecal matter as you inspect these areas.

4. What Do Their Bites Look Like? The bites from a bed bug usually appear in a row and come in sets of three. They call them…. breakfast, lunch and dinner! When bed bugs feed, they like to have their stomach and back pressed against something, which is why the bites will show up on your favorite side that you sleep on.

5. Last, But Not Least… How Do You Get Rid of Them? Heat can be used to get rid of a bed bug infestation (120 degrees can kill all stages). Chemicals with residual and non-residual also work, provided you follow the label instructions carefully.

However, it’s best to call a professional, as many of the “over the counter” solutions are ineffective and treatment is very specific.      

Have questions about bed bugs? Worried your home may be infested?
Give us a call today to find out more!