Prepare your NYC Home For Winter Pests
Rodent Problems
The house mouse, Norway rat, and the roof rat are commonly found in urban and rural environments. The house mouse and Norway rat are common in the New York City urban and suburban areas. We don't find the roof rat here in New York City. On occasions we do find voles invading our structures in the suburban neighborhoods such as Nassau County. Both the house mouse and the Norway rat are commensal rodents which means that they "share the table" with humans. Deer mice and voles are non-commensal although they may hoard food within our homes. Rodents have poor vision but a keen sense of touch, taste, and smell. They remember their routes between shelter and food. This is known as Kinesthetics. They are aware of the number of steps required to travel from one location to another.
In the wild, rodents rely on gnawing for survival. Rodents use their powerful jaws and incisors to gain access to harbor-age, obtain daily resources such as food, water, and nesting materials, aid in climbing, and as weapons against enemies. Rodents can enter our structures because of their ability to gnaw. However, they require some sort of edge on the material they are going to gnaw on and only require a quarter-size opening to enter.
How to Prevent Rodents From Entering Your NYC Home
- First, inspect for potential entry points such as doorways, windows, pipe penetrations, and so on.
- Seal these entry points with appropriate materials such as door sweeps, screens, and labeled sealants that expand and contract with temperature changes (outdoor use).
- Sanitation is critical, as is ensuring that garbage cans are not overflowing and have properly fitting lids.
- Natural nuts that fall from trees around the property are being reduced.
- Garage doors are particularly vulnerable to rodent entry, so a high-quality garage door sweep, such as those sold by Xcluder, properly installed, will keep rodents out.
- All door thresholds should have a space less than 0.25" (6mm) wide.
- Crawl space vent covers must be securely fastened.
Rodents can enter our structures in a variety of ways. Inspecting and maintaining a structure is frequently either time consuming or costly. This is why Jet Pest Control includes a visual inspection and instructions on what needs to be sealed or repaired, as well as where they are located, on their regular service visits. Jet Pest Control also handles the majority of the exclusion work for the items listed above. We understands that in order to keep rodents and other pests out of your structures and homes, we must work together. Please contact us right away for a free on-site estimate.
What to do outside your house
Pest-proofing your home's exterior for the winter is an important step in keeping harmful critters away. Because pests enter homes through the exterior, you should always pest-proof your home's outdoor areas, including your yard.
Take the following steps to pest-proof the exterior of your home:
- Examine your home's foundation and other exterior surfaces for crevices and cracks. If you find even a hairline crack, it's critical to seal it as soon as possible so that even the smallest insects can't get inside.
- Steel wool and caulk are the best tools for sealing cracks and crevices.
Weaker sealants can break off and require multiple reapplications during the winter. - Prevent pests from entering your home by screening your vents and chimney.
These are very common rodent entry points. - Repair any damaged insulation around your windows so nothing can crawl in.
For Cold Weather Pest-Proofing, contact Jet Pest Control.
You have no control over when or where a pest will try to enter your home. You can, however, choose to protect your home from the unpredictability of nature. Jet Pest Control has more information on how to pest-proof your home this winter and protect your family and property from harmful critters.
Contact us for dependable winter pest control services in Brooklyn, Queens, and throughout New York City.
