When you suspect that rodents are intruding in your home, finding evidence of their presence can help you understand what kind of pests you're dealing with and what the best course of action to remove them will be. These signs are often found in hidden, dark, and quiet spaces, as well as in the materials the rodents chew on and use for nesting.
Ducts and Vents
Since your HVAC ducts lead to many rooms in your home, they're an appealing place for rodents to both frequent and make homes in. This is especially the case with ducts that run under your floors, as these are even more accessible.
If rodents have made nests in your ducts, they might not be directly behind your vent covers, but you may still notice fur or droppings near them. You might also see signs that the vent covers have been chewed on to make larger holes through which the rodents can get in and out. You might also notice more passive signs, like an increase in allergy symptoms.
Luckily, traps can be set and your ducts resealed so that rodents can no longer get inside. If they have been using your ducts, it's a good idea to consider having your ducts professionally cleaned, as droppings and nesting material can pose potentially significant health risks.
Fabrics
Rodents often use easily accessible fabrics for nesting materials, and they can use anything from furniture to curtains to clothing. Rodents will typically avoid places that are well lit or where you spend much of your time, so the signs won't be as obvious.
When inspecting your home for signs of infestation, turn furniture around and inspect the backs and undersides, especially if it's furniture in darker and quieter rooms. Take out your clothes from dressers, closets, and storage to inspect them, and check along the bottoms of curtains to look for holes or signs of clawing and nibbling.
Unfortunately, anything damaged by rodents may need to be repaired or replaced, but in many cases finding out where rodents are damaging your fabrics can help your pest control specialist find out how they're getting in, where they might be making their nests, and what kind of rodents you are dealing with.
Attics and Crawl Spaces
Attics and crawl spaces, like ducts, are usually dark and quiet, which many rodents will take advantage of. Along with signs of nesting and droppings, you might also see signs of chewing on wires or digging. Inspecting these areas might require a flashlight and/or protective equipment.
Since these are areas that are likely to serve as places rodents make homes in rather than areas they simply travel through, your specialist may recommend traps and baits to help get rid of the current infestation. You will also get the opportunity to talk about preventative measures that can prevent rodents from getting into these spaces again in the future.
Contact a rodent control service for more information.
When you come upon an ant in your home, what do you do? Maybe you kill that one ant and then set some traps to catch any others that come with it. Perhaps you spray some insecticides along the baseboards or in other places where ants tend to congregate. Sometimes these measures might take care of the problem, but other times they don't. If ants continue to be an issue, you'll need to call a pest control company. The same goes if you are dealing with roaches, mice, or some other pest. Learn more about pest control and what these companies do as you explore this website.