With winter just around the corner, London Network for Pest Solutions (LNPS) is warning residents to be on the lookout for uninvited rats and mice entering their homes.
As temperatures descend and we put on our heating systems, our homes become warm and inviting sanctuaries for us to sit out the winter months. If this is true for us, then it is also true for rats and mice. We may not invite them, but they see the same advantages as us to being inside our homes – warmth, protection from the elements and predators, and a steady supply of food.
If rats and mice are allowed to set up home, they will create mess, can potentially damage the fabric of the property, and may spread nasty diseases, like salmonella, listeria, Weil’s disease and E. coli. It is therefore important to make sure your home doesn’t become a haven for these pests.
Three simple ways to keep your home pest-free:
- Good housekeeping – mice only need 3g of food a day to survive. If you clean toaster crumb trays, cookers, work surfaces, and ensure all foodstuffs are stored in sealed containers, they will find it hard to get the food they need and will look elsewhere
- Make your home a fortress – we don’t mean razor wire and watchtowers, simply find the gaps where mice and rats will enter your home. A mouse can squeeze through a tiny gap – down to 6mm. Look around pipes and cables, under doors and around windows. You can use cement, wire mesh and bristle strips to fill these gaps
- Seek professional help – if you are unlucky enough to find you have a mouse or rat in your home, it’s better to call in a professional pest controller. They will use their detective skills to find out where rodents are entering your home, which is not always obvious, and then employ effective solutions, such as mousetraps and rodenticides, to deal with them. These will be used with care, making sure they are placed away from wildlife, pets and children. It should be noted, it is a legal requirement to carry out an Environmental Risk Assessment before starting any treatment
As a responsible pest control company, we advise people to refrain from DIY pest control. It is important to use the right dosage of any rodenticide in order to be effective but not harm the environment. In recent years, concerns are growing that amateur use of rodenticides is increasing resistance among rats and mice, making these chemicals less effective – especially when the wrong amount is used.
Recent regulatory changes also mean pest control professionals now have access to rodenticides that are twice the ‘strength’ of those available to amateurs. This means, if you use a professional company, you will get a safer, more targeted service that is also more effective at ridding your home of unwanted guests.
About LNPS
LNPS is an award-wining pest control company covering London, Essex, Kent and the South-east. We offer efficient, cost-effective solutions to a wide range of pest problems, including rats and mice. With a combined experience of over 100 years, we have the right solutions to keep your home pest-free during these winter months.
If you have a pest problem, call 020 8430 4133 or click here.
