Effective Rodent Control Solutions For Katy Properties

There are a surprising number of rodents in the world. Fortunately, most rodents aren't going to come into your yard, and even fewer will try and get into your home. Some of the rodents that do enter your home don't stay long because it doesn't provide the ecosystem they prefer. An example of a rodent like this is the chipmunk. Chipmunks prefer foods that are found abundantly outdoors and are scarce inside your home. The rodents that cause the most trouble are rodents that can find preferred foods inside your home. These are the rodents that feed off table scraps, nibble on pantry foods, and get into your trash receptacles. Let's look at the different rodents in our area, what they do when they get into your home, how to prevent unwanted company, and what you can do if you already have uninvited guests. Remember that your Modern Pest Control service team is always standing ready to answer questions regarding pest control in Katy. We offer professional rodent control services. Connect with us online, by phone, or by email. We'll help you sort things out and keep your home rodent-free. 

Common Types Of Home-Invading Rodents In Katy

There are primarily three common house rodents in Katy, Texas. It is likely that you know all of them by name. They are mice, rats, and squirrels. Of the three, the least frustrating to deal with are squirrels because, like chipmunks, they can find their preferred food abundantly outdoors. That is one big reason they don't raid kitchens and pantries when they get into attic spaces. 

Squirrels: Squirrels that invade homes go outdoors to get their meals during the day and come back in during the night. Chipmunks don't infest attic spaces because an attic isn't an ideal place for a chipmunk to live. They live in logs, wood piles, rock walls, or ground holes. They won't want to live high up inside an attic. Squirrels climb trees and live in holes found high up inside dying trees. They'll tuck themselves into a small tree cavity and make small holes into larger living spaces using their teeth. Needless to say, the large wood-encased void of an attic is like a mansion for a squirrel and the perfect place for having lots of babies. The only good news is that when a squirrel invades your attic, it is likely to stay up there. Mice and rats, on the other hand, are more than happy to get into your kitchen and pantry, which is why they're worse than squirrels.

Mice: All mice are not quite created equal. In Katy, we have a few species. The one that poses the most issues is aptly referred to as the house mouse. If you see a dark or gray-colored mouse, that is a house mouse. You can expect it to want to live in your home permanently, as it survives on bread crumbs, cereal, nuts, seeds, garbage, pet food, and other food sources in your home. If you see a mouse that has the coloration of a deer, that is called a deer mouse. It is another common mouse in our area. While it is the worst of the two in terms of its ability to pose a threat to your health, it is far less likely to infest your home. Deer mice typically get into sheds, barns, and other outbuildings. 

Rats: The two rat pests we see most often in our Katy service area are Norway rats and roof rats. Norway rats are brown rats that dig in the ground and often create burrows underneath junk piles. They are adequate climbers but prefer to stay on ground level, or below. Roof rats are black rats. They are exceptional climbers. When they're not living in tree holes, they are attempting to live in attic spaces. These rats behave like squirrels. They scale trees, run across power lines, and explore rooftops. But they do these things at night, so you're not likely to see them.

As you consider effective rodent control for your Katy property, it helps to know what kind of rodents you're attempting to control. Their behavior patterns, food preferences, and preferred routes are just some of the factors to consider as you work to keep them out of your home. Of the three, squirrels are the easiest to deal with in your yard. All you have to do is reduce the food sources that attract squirrels. The two most important to consider are nuts and seeds.

When you discourage squirrels, keep in mind that you're also discouraging rats and mice because they eat many of the same natural food sources, including nuts and seeds. Along with this, it is important to understand that squirrels aren't completely harmless. If they're attracted to your home, they can scale your exterior, tear your screens, damage your soffits, and cause other accidental damage.

All rodents that enter your yard have the potential to cause property damage. They also bring ticks and fleas onto your property and deposit them near your home, and these two secondary pests are linked to harmful diseases. And they don't stop in your yard; they bring trouble indoors.

Rodents Spread Disease And Damage Property

When rodents in Katy find their way into your home, what can you expect? How bad is it to have rodents? The primary issue with rodents is that they're unsanitary. When you address sanitation, you can deter these animals in a few significant ways. It is essential to understand the link between sanitation and effective rodent control.

• Rodents are attracted to decaying organic matter and conditions, such as a stinky trash receptacle. These are often a catalyst for infestations. When a rat or mouse gets into your trash, it becomes unsanitary. If it gets into your pantry or kitchen before it has time to groom itself, it can spread invisible disease-causing organisms. 
• Rodents live off the crumbs you leave for them. A tiny mouse can survive on food debris that falls on the kitchen floor, or down in the gap between your oven and the counter. Sanitation helps to limit food resources, which works to stunt population growth. In some cases, dedicated sanitation can drive mice out. But, most of the time, it is just one layer of rodent control. It is also a way to reduce property damage in your kitchen. Rodents chew holes in building materials to get to the crumbs you leave in your kitchen. 
• Rodents also leave their droppings around your home. When you find these droppings, it is critical to clean them up. Doing so will provide two primary benefits. First, your sanitation efforts will help to reduce the risk of illness. Second, you can routinely check areas you've cleaned to see if new droppings appear. If they do, you have an active infestation.

Do you see the role sanitation plays in effective rodent control? It helps you guard against sickness and protect your property while also deterring rodents from entering your home, living in your home, and growing a family. As you take steps to address sanitation, you'll start to encourage rats and mice to go back outdoors. If you are successful, you're going to want to keep them out there. The next step is to consider how you may rodent-proof your home.   

Simple Rodent Exclusion Tips That Work

Whether you're looking to keep rodents from coming back into your home or working to keep them out in the first place, the primary way to control rodents is to apply exclusions. These are particularly useful when deterring squirrels because squirrels aren't particularly determined to live in your home. If you alter conditions that invite an infestation, they will respond quickly.

• Repair any damaged screens on your exterior doors and windows.
• Repair damaged soffits and fascia.
• Fill in gaps in your roofline.
• Block access to roof soffit overhangs. Hardware cloth or netting can address this vulnerability easily.
• Install guards on any pipes or wire conduits that provide a route up the side of your home and onto your roof, or on power lines that attach to your roofline.

Rats and mice require more effort. These common rodent pests can enter your home in a surprising number of ways. Here are a few suggestions to help you keep them out.

• Use expanding foam to fill in voids behind joists or other structural cavities that can provide entrance into your home. If you notice gnaw marks after applying the foam, you may need to use a stronger material, such as hardware cloth or metal flashing.
• Use a caulking gun or expanding foam to seal gaps around your plumbing and PVC conduits that pass through your foundation wall.
• Replace door sweeps and weatherstripping around exterior doors if you notice even the tiniest gaps. Rats and mice are more than happy to make small holes larger.
• Install covers on unprotected exhaust vents or hardware cloth on gable vents.

Along with exclusions that keep rodents out of your home, you may also want to consider exclusions that prevent rodents from hiding or nesting in key areas. Here are a few examples.

• Apply fencing material around the base of your deck to prevent rodents from entering the void underneath.
• Use fencing material to keep rodents out of hollow wooden exterior stairs, or out of gaps between concrete stairs and your foundation wall.
• If you have a crawl space, bolster your protection around the door that leads into this space.
• If you have cellar doors, protect the gap that can form at the base where the two doors come together. Rats commonly use this entry point.

Keep in mind that exclusion work isn't just something you do on the outside of your home. It is sometimes critical on the interior as well. You can use expanding foam or a caulking gun to do this work.

• Seal around pipes that enter your kitchen underneath your sink. These gaps are often overlooked, and rodents can go in and out of this space from your wall voids.
• Seal any holes created by rats or mice. You may have to pull your oven or refrigerator out to find these holes. Check your pantry as well. You may find them behind floor clutter.
• Seal gaps in baseboards or door framing. It only takes a hole the size of a dime for a house mouse to move about inside your home.
• Seal gaps that provide access behind crown molding. Tiny holes can lead to wall voids. 

Exclusion work isn't easy, but it pays big dividends when it comes to preventing rodent infestations. It will also help to keep general pests out of your home. If you need assistance, Modern Pest Control can help. While we don't handle all of the exclusions listed here, we address key areas and provide advice to help you zero in on things you may want to fix.       

Katy's Secret Weapon To Complete Rodent Control

If you already have a rodent problem, professional rodent control or wildlife management are the best solution. Rodents are tricky pests that find surprising ways to elude pest control. There are also unwanted consequences that come along with misapplying rodent control. When you get professional service, you'll get the results you want. Moreover, you don't have to do all of the hard work. We handle that for you.

Are you in Katy, Texas? If so, contact Modern Pest Control for rodent control near you. We use advanced methods and professional-grade products to remove rodents from structures, monitor rodent activity, and prevent continued infestation. Our science-based approach gets results. It is easy to get started. Simply text us or call us today to schedule service for your Katy residence. You don't have to live with rodents. The solution is right here. Connect with us today for assistance.