As the colder weather draws in over the Autumn and Winter months many of us will retreat indoors where it’s warm and there’s plenty of food. Rodents will also want to do the same.
Homes, barns, greenhouses, sheds, outbuildings, stables, warehouses and garages are all ideal spots for a rodent to make their home; they all provide shelter, warmth, plus there’s plenty food and materials around for them to survive comfortably.
Unfortunately rodents can cause a lot of issues within your property. If they gain access to areas where food is stored, such as cupboards in your home and grain stores in barns etc, then this will create a food safety hazard, and put you at potential risk of contracting one or more of the many diseases they carry. At APC Management we often use a UV light to detect whether a rodent is on your property as their urine will shine a bright blue under the UV lamp.
Rodents also have a constant need to gnaw – did you know that rats can chew through concrete? If mice or rats are present on your property they may cause damage to your furnishings using the material they find to build nests. Occasionally rodents will choose to chew on wiring, which can not only damage expensive electrical goods, but also creates a fire risk within your property.
It’s important for you to know how to protect your property from infestations. The first thing would be to make sure that your building is fully sealed up, any holes or gaps that reach the outside create an open door for rats and mice to enter. When dealing with infestations we always offer minor proofing jobs within our services. Other ways you can prevent an infestation would be ensuring all waste, especially food waste, is discarded of appropriately; rotting food will attract mice and rats. You may also want to consider keeping fresh food in sealed containers as this will prevent rodents from smelling or accessing the food, keeping it more hygienic if you do have an infestation, but also make them less likely to settle on your property as they can’t sniff out a food source.
If you own a larger commercial or industrial building it may be worth talking to a pest controller about having bait or traps around your property, even if you don’t currently have an infestation. Rats and mice often thrive in places like town centres and industrial estates, usually due to the waste food around these areas. Usually, when the weather gets cooler these animals will try to make the nearest buildings their home. There is a legal obligation in the UK under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to keep premises rodent free, or if rodents pose a threat to health or property an individual must report infestations to the local authority.
If you think you might have a rodent problem then contact us now and we can come up with a solution:
