How To Prep Your House for Rodents This Fall

As the leaves begin to turn and the air chills, preparations for the fall season are in full swing. But getting ready for autumn means more than raking leaves and taking sweaters out of storage. The latter half of the year can drive unwelcome furry invaders into your home, leading to property damage, health risks, and the anxiety of seeing a rat scurrying through your kitchen. 

We’ve compiled essential information on the different types of rodents that may try to move in this fall and advice on how to go about rodent-proofing your home to create a comfortable, pest-free environment for your family this season.

Why Rodents Move Inside During the Fall 

Rodent control is not exclusive to autumn, but the season presents several reasons for rodents to seek shelter, chief among them being the falling temperatures. Like humans, rats, mice, and squirrels seek warmth once the weather cools off, and what spots could be cozier than your home with its attic full of nesting materials like insulation?

Food availability also dwindles in chillier seasons, and nibbling around your pantry is far more appealing than scrounging for loose acorns. Once rodents have found a reliable food source, they often build nests in cozy basements, attics, and walls and reproduce more little scavengers to forage your food.

Types of Rodents To Watch for in the Fall

• Mice. Though they are the smallest of your neighborhood rodents, the damage mice can cause is no joke. Besides burrowing into cereal boxes, mouse droppings have been linked to serious illnesses like the Hantavirus disease.
• Rats. These rodents’ teeth never stop growing, which allows them to chew through and damage materials in your home like wood, plastic, and even soft concrete and wires.
• Squirrels. Unlike some suburban animals, squirrels don’t hibernate in the winter, so come fall, they’ll need to find a warm, cozy place to set up camp. These rodents also have litters in the spring and fall, so they’ll search for a spot to build a nest—like your attic.
• Groundhogs. These weather-predicting animals don’t just appear on February 2. Groundhogs can wreak havoc throughout your lawn and garden by digging new burrows for the season, digging up and eating your plants along the way.

Rodent Proofing Services and Best Practices

Outside of hiring rodent pest control services, incorporate some best practices for prevention into your seasonal preparations. Some basic housekeeping and cleaning procedures can help keep these critters out of your home.

Maintaining Your Gardening and Landscaping

The first step in rodent pest control is to keep your yard tidy. Routine raking can help eliminate potential hiding spots for rodents around your home’s perimeter. Additionally, trim any tree limbs that hang over or near your roof to make it harder for squirrels to reach your attic. We also advise laying gravel strips around your garden and by your exterior walls to stop rodents from digging.

Seal Off All Entryways

Ensure every door and window in your home has a screen to prevent rodents from getting indoors and replace damaged or worn screens. We also recommend investigating cracks along door frames and window panes, which can be sealed using silicone caulk. Mice and rats tend to crawl up plumbing and sewage pipes and enter through holes around cable wires, so contact pest control professionals for insights about these more secluded entryways.

Keep Your Garbage Clean

It may seem ironic to keep your trash clean, but giving your milk jugs, wrappers, and to-go boxes a good rinse before tossing them out is an excellent way to keep out critters. Take out your trash frequently, and run your sink’s garbage disposal often. Rodents have a keen sense of smell, so the goal is to keep out as much food odor as possible. Additionally, any food waste placed in garbage bins should be minimized, bagged, and kept covered. For a greener route, consider composting!

Preserve Dry Food

Food like cereal, oats, crackers, and other dry goods are especially vulnerable to pest parties. Avoid storing these items in cardboard boxes and paper bags. Instead, opt for secure containers made of glass that will keep the odors inside and pests outside. As for your pantry, keep it clear of spillage and crumbs to avoid attracting unwanted visitors.

Keep Rodents Outside This Fall With Accel Pest and Termite Control

Rodent infestations can be challenging to manage on your own. While best practices and home solutions might help keep critters at bay, it takes a professional to effectively tackle the situation. Accel Pest and Termite Control offers rat pest control and rodent exclusion services in Ohio and Virginia to assist you in keeping your home rodent-free this autumn. 

Contact us online today or call us today for effective and dependable rodent control services. Our pest control experts have the resources and experience to help you handle all things rodent services. You can find us in a service area near you in Ohio and Virginia, and check out our blog for additional pest control tips and tricks.