Humane, rapid and permanent describe the ethical features we strive for in our rodent control service. Bait and rodent traps for rats, mice and squirrels rarely deliver lasting value. Our customers have come to appreciate the attention to detail we place on locating the rodents point of entry.
This is a challenge in many connected and terraced properties because the roofs, basements and drains are sometimes linked. However, we find that a reliable and obvious entry point can be found and sealed in most cases. This results in a one time, one-stop service that frees you from rodents with greater certainty. Win-Win!
Redundant, damaged or unmapped drains have been the leading cause of unsolved rat infestations for years! A full drain survey of all the drains under and around your property is essential!
You will never be disadvantaged by knowing what is going on beneath your feet. Still, you might be substantially disadvantaged if serious drainage defects allow rats to remove soil from beneath foundations, risking subsidence. Sewer smells in your home are a common sign!
Inspection chambers built over during renovations or extensions often hide serious defects. They prevent inspection, diagnosis of problems and remediation to solve your rat problems. Rats in kitchens are a common sign that drains are defective beneath!
Crazy but true – it’s effortless to miss entry points on the exterior of your building. Yes, we did suggest that an obvious entry point could be present, and you’ve missed it! A perimeter that is clear of waste and stored material is a blessing because it is easy to observe and protect.
Low-level vents, disused cat flaps, gaps under doors, gaps around frames, gaps in utility bridges, gaps in newly-laid foundations, gaps under garage doors and many more places will leave your beautiful home open to intrusion by relentless and resourceful rodents. We often walk around a property “twice” to be sure we don’t miss anything. It would help if you always did the same to be sure you’ve checked high and low.
Damaged air vents, especially plastic or defective cast iron, have been the culprits of past investigations. Another overlooked access pathway is climbing plants, over-hanging shrubs and branches and fences that meet the gutters of ground floor roofs! Rodent control is all about thinking like a rodent and asking yourself, “how would I get in?”.
So we have briefly discussed the drains and external rodent entry points, and now we discuss the neighbours! Yes – shock-horror – this is the elephant in the room. If your neighbours are to blame, then it’s likely you inherited your rat problem when buying your home – nasty, but all too common.
In any property that adjoins another, there is always the possibility that holes, cavities and pathways will exist within them that rats, mice and squirrels will use to their best advantage. Imagine you are a mouse, and a hole the diameter of a biro pen is just enough of a doorway to move from one building to the next. Also, imaging that basements, attics and gutters are routinely linked and your rodent bridge to plentiful food and nesting sites are complete!
Rats and mice are the most common visitors from adjoining properties. If you’ve had your drains investigated and know there are no entry points or avenues on the exterior of your home, then you need to meet the neighbours. Some know they have a problem and don’t care, others won’t tell you if they do (however friendly they seem), and finally, you have those that are a breath of fresh air and will genuinely work with you to find an answer and a solution.
The most common ectoparasite carried by rats in people’s homes is the flea. A few different flea species could frequent The Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), including the Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis). Once you have controlled a rodent using lethal control, the parasites leave its body searching for a new warm-blooded food source – you, your family or pets! Although we only treat a small number of properties a year for this kind of parasitic infestation, you should bear this in mind. Also, consider the transmission of food poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella.