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6 Tips for Effective Rodent Control in Knoxville Homes
A rodent infestation is a situation that no one wants to deal with. Mice and rats are dirty pests that may introduce diseases and parasites to your household. They can be quite destructive, too. Creeping through walls, attics, and other remote areas of our homes, rodents will continually gnaw on their surroundings, inflicting severe damage over time.
Do you want to keep rodents out of your home in Knoxville? Keep reading for a few handy tips on rodent control and prevention that you can use to protect your property from rats and mice.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Rodents
- Set Traps – A tried and true rodent control strategy is to set traps in areas where rodents have been sighted or there are other signs of activity. Traps come in many forms, and it’s crucial to know what sort of rodent you’re dealing with before buying since mouse traps are far too small for full-grown rats. Place traps in your basement, garage, attic and any other areas of your home in Knoxville where rodents may be present. Bait these traps with peanut butter, seeds, grains or just about anything else that is high in protein or fat.
- Seal Entry Points – An entry point is any place where a rodent can get into your home. Entry points can include holes or gaps created by weathering, as well as unsecure doors, windows or vents that mice and rats can use to slip inside. Inspect your Knoxville area home for entry points in the siding and around the foundation, then use caulk or sealant to close them off. Apply mesh barriers to exterior vent openings to keep rodents from crawling into them.
- Store Food Securely – Easily accessible food is often what lures mice and rats into homes in Knoxville. Rodents are omnivorous scavengers that will nourish themselves on snacks, table scraps, food waste, pet food, and bird seed. Keeping your food securely stored will reduce the risk of a rodent infestation. Place any snacks or leftovers in sealed bags or other containers. Dispose of kitchen garbage regularly in an outdoor bin with a tight-fitting lid. If pet food or bird seed is stored outside or in the garage, make sure it’s likewise kept in an airtight container.
- Place Bait Stations – While traps are effective for rodent control when you have an active infestation, bait stations are ideal as a long-term rodent prevention solution. Bait stations contain a poisoned bait that lure in nearby mice and rats, then kill them upon consumption. These bait stations are specially designed to keep children, pets, and wildlife from getting into them. Installing bait stations around the exterior of your home in Knoxville can keep future infestations from occurring.
- Remove Brush & Clutter – Making your home less appealing to mice and rats will mitigate the risk of an infestation. Because they’re low on the food chain, rodents prefer to stay hidden in the cover provided by such things as overgrown grass, dense bushes, firewood piles, and even piles of boxes in your garage or shed. Trimming back overgrown brush and decluttering storage areas deprives rodents of hiding places, which can prevent them from infesting your property.
- Hire Professional Rodent Control – While do-it-yourself rodent control efforts can prove effective, your best option is usually to seek the services of a licensed and insured rodent control company in Knoxville. Experienced rodent control technicians have a deeper understanding of the behaviors of mice and rats, and of the most surefire methods to get rid of them. These trained exterminators can effectively remove all rodent activity from your property and prevent a recurrence.
Knoxville’s Most Reliable Rodent Control Team
When a rodent problem starts to get out of hand, working with the pros can help you achieve the quickest solution. Connect with Critter Wranglers today if you’re in need of professional rodent control services in the Knoxville area!