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When colder temperatures emerge, the warmth of a heated home would be welcomed by anyone. This applies to rodents as well. When the temperature drops, so does a rodent's source of food-- yet another reason homes become increasingly appealing for rodents, which infest over 21 million homes in America, as reported by professionals in the pest control industry. Most rodents survive on seeds and plants, but when winter's freeze or summer's drought destroys these food sources, rodents will often look to our homes in the quest for food. All it takes is one small exterior opening that a mouse or rat can slip through. An opening as small as 1/2 inch can be big enough for a rodent to get into your home, and some mice may be able to make it through 1/4 inch holes. On top of this, rodents are naturally adept at climbing, so they may use pipes or trees to gain access to your home through high vents or utility openings. Living with rodents could be a dangerous thing. Thanks to their speedily growing teeth rodents have to continually gnaw away in order to keep them from growing to large, sadly they seem to target electrical wiring when doing this which is obviously a massive fire hazard. They can also be harmful to your health through the diseases they spread thanks to their excrement and bites. It is no surprise they are health threats when you consider the fact they carry over 200 human pathogens. Diseases that can be caught by touching rodent feces or being bit include HPS or Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and even the plague, both of which can be deadly. HPS is known to spread through airborne particles of fecal matter, saliva or even urine from deer mice that have become infected, and has been seen in 30 different states in the last decade and a half. There were 465 cases reported, with almost 35% ending in fatality. The plague these days is incredibly rare, but there are still around 12 reported cases annually in the United States. Human health and rodents have been connected for many generations. Europe suffered from an massive outbreak of the plague during the 1300's-- all due to the extensive presence of rodents in human living areas ; the diseases that rodents transmit are still a cause for concern, even in modern times. Do not get too worried however, only very few diseases rodents carry are deadly, although infestations should still not be taken lightly. It is thought by many people that rodents will only be found in dirty homes. While it's true that easier access to food supply and places to hide will be even more inviting to rodents, they will also infest any home that essentially leaves the front door open for them. There are some signs that you can look for to determine whether you have rodents in your home or not. You will likely find droppings around the place and in cupboards near food supplies, boxes of food themselves will be gnawed along with furniture legs and door frames, you may even hear the rats running through the walls or ceilings and may notice oily marks along their often traveled routes. If you detect any of these signs, then call a professional pest control expert right away. Most often, pest control experts will use a combination of poisons and traps to try and remove the rodents from your home. You may think you can lay down poison and traps yourself, however a professional will likely prove more effective in their placing and use of such things. In order to avoid the possibility of rodent encroachment, here are some tips you should follows to maintain a rodent free home. Keep firewood as far from the house as possible and raise it from the ground. Search the perimeter of your home for bricks, stones, or other debris that has piled up and remove it. Any debris near the foundation can hide entry points and give rodents shelter, encouraging them to stay and look for an entry. If you find any cracks outside then seal them up immediately. If you find any large gaps, make sure you use place steel wool or wire mesh inside the crack before you seal it. Make sure that the foundation and attic vents have been sealed with tight fitting 1/4 hardware cloth. You may already have insect screens on your doors and windows, these will not keep out a rodent so add some weather strips to the bottom of your doors. Keep shrubbery and tree branches trimmed around the house so they can not be used by rodents to get to the roof of your home.
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