Season of the Rodent: Preventing Rats & Mice

Season of the rodent in Las Vegas NV - Western Exterminator of Las VegasRodents may be a common pest all year long, but did you know infestations spike during the fall? With it being Rodent Awareness Week, it’s important to understand why rats and mice are so common in October and how to prevent them from becoming a problem in your home. When summer ends and the weather starts to cool down, rodents will try to make their way inside to escape the cold. Unfortunately, rats and mice are notorious for their ability to squeeze through the smallest of openings and can get inside easily. To prevent their chances of succeeding, read on to learn some of Rentokil’s top tips for keeping them out!

4 Ways to Keep Rats and Mice Out

Rats are a gross sight that no homeowner wants to deal with. To save yourself from the frustration of cleaning up after a rodent infestation, it’s important to know how to prevent them in the first place!

  1. Locate and seal any cracks or crevices: Inspect your foundation, doors, and windows for any gaps, and patch them up accordingly.
  2. Install screens over chimneys and vents: Rats and mice may feel the warm air escaping your chimney and vents, and make their way indoors. Properly cover your vent systems and chimney.
  3. Store food in airtight containers: Rats and mice will seek out food inside of homes. Always keep food stored in secured containers and clean up spills after meals.
  4. Keep a clean, mess-free home: Rodents are a big fan of clutter, and are attracted to messy basements and attics. Always clean up messes and avoid excess clutter.

Are Rodents Dangerous?

Everyone knows rodents can be gross, but did you know they are dangerous as well? Rats and mice can spread bacteria, contaminate food, and even cause allergic reactions in humans. Some of the diseases that can be spread by their feces include hantavirus, salmonellosis, and even the bubonic plague (as rare as it is). They are also harmful in that they can cause serious structural damage with their gnawing and nesting habits. Bottom line: For the safety of you, your family, and your home, rodents have no business inside!

Get Rid of Rodents Fast

If you’ve done all you can to prevent rodents from getting in your property, they still may make their way indoors. As soon as you see a rat or mouse inside, it’s time to call a professional. A professional pest control company such as Rentokil can not only get rid of any rodent problem you have, but prevent future infestations from forming.

Preventing Fall Pests in Your Home

Learn how to keep fall pests out of your Las Vegas home - Western ExterminatorPest problems in Las Vegas are at their highest in the fall, but what happens to these pests when the weather cools down? The number of infestations in the autumn months can skyrocket as pests try to find a place to overwinter, which is why the time to protect your home is now! To keep pests and insects out of your home this fall and winter, read on to learn some of Rentokil’s top tips for preventing fall pests in your home.

Common Pests in the Fall

Summer temperatures bring about many types of insects and pests. Cooling temperatures will cause a population decrease in some pests, but some will appear more often than ever as they seek out homes for shelter and resources. In Las Vegas, some of the pests you’ll see in the fall include:

  • Ants: Cooler weather may cause ants to move their trails indoors.
  • Rodents: Mice and rats are known to seek out warm places for shelter throughout the winter.
  • Flies: Several types of flies will seek out heat as the weather changes.
  • Stink bugs: This odorous bug is infamous for seeking out homes to invade before the winter.

Protecting Your Home from Fall Pests

The best way you can avoid an infestation inside your home is by making sure it’s safeguarded against them! There are a number of ways you can protect your property: 

  • Keep a tidy home both indoors and outdoors. Remove all debris from around the property, clean up messes, and keep food and trash cans sealed.
  • Repair damaged screens and seal any cracks or crevices around your property. Double-check to make sure your roof does not contain cracks.
  • Avoid moisture issues by promptly fixing any leaky pipes or faucets, and maintaining a normal humidity level inside your home.

Prevent Fall Pest Problems in Las Vegas

By getting rid of the opportunities that allow pests indoors, you can lessen the chance of getting an infestation. Pest-proofing your home is one of the top methods of pest control, and the team at Rentokil can help protect you from ever dealing with a pest invasion. To learn more about how we can help keep your home pest-free all fall, give us a call!

The Creepy Noise in Your Attic Could be Roof Rats

The roof rat population in Las Vegas has slowly increased over the last decade, and it shows no signs of stopping. Roof rats, also known as black rats, are much more than ugly or scary nuisances–they can carry a variety of diseases and cause serious damage to a home. How can you protect yourself and your home from these rodents?

How Do Roof Rats Get Into Your Attic?

While roof rats prefer to live in trees, they can and will move from the trees in your yard to the roof of your home, and then into the rest of the structure. They can also travel from home to home via block wall fences and trees, making their way into any structure that presents itself.

Here are just a few locations that roof rats prefer to live in:

  • Trees
  • Sheds
  • Storage sheds
  • Attics

If rodents are in your yard or in one of your outbuildings, they will continue to make their way inside your house, where it’s warmer, safer, and where they have more access to food. While in your backyard, they will eat anything they have access to, including dog feces, pet food, bird food, and garbage. It’s crucial to limit rats’ access to these materials, to avoid giving them further reason to settle within your property.

Signs of a Roof Rat Problem

Like other rodents, roof rats gnaw on things, but because of their greater size, they can cause far more damage.

  • Gnawed limbs or tree damage
  • Empty citrus fruit rinds with teeth marks
  • Smudge marks on the walls and exposed parts of your home’s interior
  • Well-worn runways (basically rat highways) through undergrowth and around your yard
  • Seeing the rats themselves in trees (usually after dark)
  • Moderately sized droppings (larger than mouse droppings)
  • Noise made running within the walls or ceiling of your home, as well as gnawing or scraping sounds

This last sign of a roof rat infestation is the worst sign, as it means they have made a home within your home! Professional rodent control and removal should be scheduled immediately.

What to Do If You Have Roof Rats in Las Vegas

If you’re hearing strange noises, or even if you only find evidence of their presence outside, it’s important to take action immediately. Roof rats are invasive, and they breed very quickly. There are few natural predators to keep their numbers down. If you need to remove roof rats from your backyard or home, call Western Exterminator today!

Avoid Pests: 5 Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring in Las Vegas is short lived and as the weather heats up, many insects and pests wake up from a winter’s nap and are ready to get busy finding food. If your Las Vegas or Henderson home proves to be a good source of food for foraging insects and rodents, they will gladly come invade your living space.

In order to prevent pests from getting into your home this spring, here are some indoor spring cleaning tips to keep your home pest free from the Las Vegas pest control professionals at Western Exterminator:

1. Secure Window Screens

Before opening up windows to let the spring breeze flow in, make sure that all windows are secured with screens that fit properly and have no holes. Windows are an easy way for small flying insects to gain entry, so you want to avoid the small holes and loose fitting screens before the windows go up. Also, make sure that if you are going to keep a door open for some extra air flow, you have a screen door to keep the pests out. Open doors are an open invitation for all size pests.

2. De-clutter Your Home

Clean out storage spaces such as the garage, attic, and outdoor sheds. These are perfect homes for pests any time of the year as they are less frequented by humans. Also, any stacks of newspapers or other items provide a great home for pests such as spiders, so you want to be sure that the clutter is gone.

3. Deep Clean Your Kitchen

A deep clean of your kitchen is another good tip to keep the pests out. If there are spills or open food, cockroaches, ants and rodents are likely to find their way into your home. Spend extra time to get rid of any build-up on areas such as under the fridge or stove, the sides of the stove, and in cupboards. It’s easy to let these hidden places be forgotten, but with any food build-up, the pests will try to take advantage.

4. Sanitize Food Surfaces

Make sure to sanitize and clean your food surfaces regularly to keep pests away. If cockroaches or rodents do happen to get into your home, they will leave counters and other food surfaces contaminated, so it is important that you are on top of keeping these places sanitized to protect yours and your family’s health.

5. Spruce Up The Yard.

Branches, leaves, weeds, and dead plants can attract pests. These areas provide a place for the pest to build a nest, and they might eventually come inside your home since the nests are near the building. Also, make sure to get rid of standing water in the yard, because the water could attract mosquitoes since they lay eggs in standing water.

By following these spring cleaning tips, you will be able to enjoy not only a squeaky clean home, but one that is free of any bugs or critters. Due to the amount of time we spend outside in the spring and with open doors and windows, it becomes very important to stay on top of the spring pest prevention measures.

If you tackle these 5 tips and bugs are still trying to take over your home this spring, contact the experts at Western Exterminator for highly effective residential pest control services designed to fit your home.

8 Tips for Pest Proofing Your Home For Winter

As the weather gets colder here in the Las Vegas and Henderson areas, people will want to spend more time indoors, and unfortunately, so will common pests and rodents. Insects such as cockroaches, spiders, and scorpions; and rodents like mice, and roof rats will seek shelter to survive the winter, and there’s nothing more inviting than a warm cozy home.

Keeping Pests Out Of Your Homecockroach exterminators las vegas nevada and henderson NV

Insects and rodents alike can introduce diseases and bacteria into your home, and can also cause a lot of damage. Understanding how to keep these pests out is the first step to ensuring a comfortable, pest free winter.

Below are 8 pest proofing tips to make sure that bugs and rodents stay out of your home this winter.

  1. Make sure needed ventilation points are screened off on the exterior of your home. Attic vents, foundation vents, roof soffits and other exterior entry points should be inspected to make sure they’re in good condition.
  2. Keep your garage and crawl space dry. Insects and rodents are attracted to places they know they can get water. Keeping these areas dry, and free from excessive humidity, will help to detract these unwanted pests.
  3. Seal up any cracks in siding, stucco, and piping. Using exterior grade silicon is a quick solution to stopping entry.
  4. Keep food preparation and storage areas clean and tidy. Leaving food and crumbs out is an invitation to pests like cockroaches, ants, and rodents. Keeping dry foods stored in airtight containers is also recommended.
  5. Inspect your windows and doors. Weather stripping, damaged window frames, and doors that don’t close correctly are all easy entry points to your home. Replace or repair window screens for an added level of protection.
  6. Keep landscaping materials and plants away from your house. Keeping trees, bushes and plants trimmed so they don’t touch your home is an easy and effective way to keep pests away. Trim tree branches back away from your roof. Don’t make it easy for rodents to access your roof.
  7. Don’t let pests hitch a ride into your home. Bringing in the holiday decorations from the garage or storage shed? Make sure pests don’t hitch a ride in storage containers, just one spider can spawn hundreds of babies.
  8. Don’t leave pet food outside, and keep bird feeders away from your house. Rodents love any food, so leaving these items outside is an open invitation to a never ending buffet.

Do It Yourself & Keep The Pests Out of Your Home

The above are a few ways you can protect your home from pests moving in this winter. A little work will help to keep the bugs and rodents out, and your family comfortable. However, if you do encounter a pest or rodent problem this winter, seeking the advice of an experienced pest control company can help you rid of these unwanted visitors.

Roof Rats Moving Into Your Home?

How to tell if you have a Roof Rat problem

Once the weather starts to cool off here in Las Vegas and Henderson, Roof Rats will be on the move, looking for warmer areas to build nests. Roof rats often construct their nests in attics of homes as they offer protection from the cooler temperatures outside, as well as ample room to nest.  These unwelcome house guests can wreak havoc on a home, and any other place they nest due to their destructive nature.  These pesky rodents chew on anything from home electrical wiring, to structural beams, drywall, and more.  They constantly chew and gnaw just about anything to keep their front teeth from growing too long.

How Roof Rats Get Into Your Home

Roof Rats, as their name implies, prefer living higher off the ground.  These vermin rodents can travel via power lines, tree tops, roofs, and even by ground nesting and breeding to create ever growing populations, which can spread out like a plague.  If you’re a home owner, or business that’s been infested by Roof Rats, it’s a pretty good bet that homes or businesses around you have the same problem.

Signs of a Roof Rat Problem

If you’re not paying attention, a Roof Rat infestation can go unnoticed for a while, but will eventually manifest itself in one way or another, often with costly repairs to your home or vehicle(s).  Understanding the telltale signs of a Roof Rat problem early can help you decide quickly the best solution for your specific issue.

Inspecting Your Home or Business Property.  This seems simple enough, but understanding the signs you’re looking for can make this task much easier to identify if you have a problem quickly.

  1. Chew or gnaw marks in or around your homes exterior.  Roof Rats will enter your home any way they can.  Chew marks and holes on roof vents, soffits, crawlspace vents, siding, garage doors, and HVAC ducting can point to entry into the home by these rodents.  Chew and gnaw marks on trees can also point to Roof Rat activity on your property as they like to hang out in the tops of trees.  Roof Rats can enter your home through a hole as small as ¾ of an inch, so often a thorough inspection is required.
  2. Signs of nesting.  Roof Rats are looking for shelter, especially when nights get cooler.  Las Vegas and Henderson residents often will find signs of nesting activity in: BBQ’s, vehicles parked for longer periods, boats, and storage areas.  If these rodents take up nesting in one of these areas, they almost always will cause destruction as they can chew through expensive electrical cords, circuits, hoses and more.
  3. Noises in the night.  Roof Rats are nocturnal  and active during the evening and night hours, as they prefer to move around when there is less human activity.  Many customers of Western Exterminator have reported that they hear scratching and moving around in the ceiling/attic areas, as well as walls, and storage areas.
  4. Foul smell.  Where Roof Rats lives, they will also die.  If you’re smelling a foul smell, often described as a rotten asparagus smell, you may have a Roof Rat infestation.  This smell will often get worse when a homes HVAC system is turned on as the smell will circulate throughout a room, or section of the home. It’s notable to say this isn’t always the case depending on what type of heating and cooling system you use.

What to do if you have a Roof Rat Infestation

Rats in general are very hearty and resourceful rodents. Removing basic essentials such as food, water, and shelter are key to making sure your property is not a suitable place for them to live.  Keeping pet food secure, garbage cans secure, and cleaning up any fruits and vegetable material will keep them looking for food elsewhere.  Roof Rats can survive on very little water, so making sure that your home does not possess a water source is important to keeping them away.  Water dishes, bird baths, fountains, leaky sprinklers / irrigation, and even leaky faucets all provide a readily available water source for rats.

Removing the Current Roof Rat populationroof rat exterminators in Las Vegas and Henderson NV

This can be a tricky endeavor. Many home owners are tempted to use over- the-counter poisons and treatments to get rid rodents from their homes. Using over-the-counter poisons present three real dangers. First, if you have pets and/or children, you must be extremely careful not to inadvertently pose a risk to those family members. Second, if you’re successful in getting the rat(s) to consume the poison, they will most likely return to your home, their nesting place, to die. This often leaves home owners with a putrid smell and the discovery of dead rodents that need to be removed.  Third, as a home owner, how can you know for sure that all of the Roof Rats have been eradicated?

Enlisting the Help of a Roof Rat Extermination Professional

Many home owners in the Las Vegas and Henderson area will often opt to hire a professional extermination company that is trained to deal with Roof Rats.  These professionals will understand the nesting and feeding habits of this rodent, and know the telltales signs to look for when determining the entry points to your home.  It’s this knowledge, along with different removal techniques, that allow a home owner to choose the best option to fit their needs. This makes professional extermination an attractive option for people dealing with Roof Rat infestations.

Along with the removal of the current Roof Rat population, a trained rodent control professional will be able to offer sound advice on how to make sure your home isn’t overrun by these unwelcome house guests again.