Effective pest control is not something homeowners can ignore.
As the weather gets colder outside more pests will try to get in your home. They can cause thousands of dollars of property damage. It’s important to stay ahead of pest control before an infestation occurs but many people don’t know what to look for.
Here are five signs that it’s time to call a professional to get help with a rodent infestation.
1. A Pest Infestation Is Damaging Your Property
Pests are coming into your house for food, water, or shelter. While infestations are disgusting, they can also cause damage to your home.
Termites, for example, cause $5 billion of property damage annually, according to the National Pest Management Association. In about half a year, a strong community of termites can gnaw through a wooden beam roughly the size of a loaf of bread.
Carpenter ants can also burrow through your wood and rodents can bite through electrical wiring.
2. You’re Finding Mice or Rat Droppings
Finding droppings in your home is a clear sign you have rodents like mice or rats. They look like large pieces of rice and typically are found under counters or sinks.
A bad smell often accompanies a rat infestation, as well as gnaw marks. What to do when have you have rats? Call a professional immediately.
3. Hearing or Seeing Pests Around Your Home
Do you hear clawing or scratching at night? Rodents are nocturnal and come to life at night in your walls or attic. This is a sure sign that there’s something alive in your house.
What you have can range from rats or mice to squirrels or raccoons.
4. Your Family’s Health Is at Risk
Tolerating pests in your home is not safe for your family. If you’re noticing bites on your skin, then it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
Even more unsettling is that rats carry fleas, lice, and ticks. All of these pests can contaminate your food and spread diseases like typhus or Lyme disease. Larger rodents like squirrels can transmit rabies.
Must Read: How Can Homeowners Get Rid Of Stink Bugs?
5. Consider Pest Control When You’ve Tried Everything
There are many products you can buy at the store to help with cockroaches, ants, fleas, mice, and more. Whatever you purchase, make sure it’s kid and pet friendly before using it indoors. You can also pick up humane traps to catch rodents.
But, sometimes, no matter what you do the pests aren’t going away. This means you need more heavy-duty treatments. If you’ve run out of options for pest control on your own, call a reputable company to get the job done.
Do You Need Help With Pest Control?
By the time you realize you have a pest infestation, it’s too late to do something on your own. Over-the-counter products won’t stop hundreds or thousands of roaches and termites. The best thing to do is to hire a trustworthy company like Hero Pest Control.
This family-owned business in Waco helps residential and commercial properties with a variety of pests. Contact us today for a free consultation.