Nov 20

Unwanted Furry Roommates

Unwanted Furry Roommates

 

Unwanted Furry Roommates. Image courtesy of tor00722 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unwanted Furry Roommates. Image courtesy of tor00722 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As the weather cools, the risk of unwanted roommates joining your household increases. And I don’t mean your mother-in-law.

Rodents such as mice and rats look for entry into houses and apartment buildings in colder weather. They can cause quite a bit of trouble once they have taken up residence by gnawing through electrical wires, getting into food supplies, leaving droppings in cupboards, and, more seriously, exposing you to diseases they may carry.  The need to avoid or treat the presence of a rodent becomes even more urgent if you’re trying to put your home on the market.

A little knowledge can empower you to handle these furry little “friends.”

Prevention

The best situation of course is never spotting a rodent in your home or apartment to begin with. You can make that dream a reality by carefully sealing your perimeter to keep them out.

Because of their flexibility, rats and mice don’t need much room to squeeze into a space – a rat can fit through a quarter size hole and a mouse through one that is even smaller. Steel wool and caulk can be used to easily DIY your home into a fortress impenetrable by any rodent. The key is to be very thorough in checking for possible break in locations.

Check for cracks and crevices around doors, windows, pipes, vents, fireplaces, and check for holes in electrical cables.  Often forgotten spots are those inside kitchen cabinets or behind appliances such as your refrigerator. Look for places where pipes enter walls, such as under sinks. Rodents can travel along pipes between floors, especially in multifamily dwellings. These gaps can be closed with escutcheon plates or flanges, easily obtained at a local hardware store.

Lastly, door sweeps can be added to reduce the gaps between your door and the floor, another common entry point.

Eviction

If rodents have made their way into your home, a few measures may encourage them to leave all on their own. Access to food and water is their biggest attraction. Keep pantry items in airtight containers, rather than in original packaging that can easily be chewed through. Put a lid on your garbage can. Don’t leave pet food out in bowls when you aren’t home, or even water if your pet doesn’t need access to it (for instance, if it is locked in a crate). Bird feeders should be kept away from the house.

Natural products are available to try to drive away rodents. Because rodents have a superhero-like sense of smell, they can be easily overwhelmed with certain scents. You should look into buying mouse repellent products or rodent pouches use things such as mint, cedar, rosemary, balsam fir, and essential oils to drive them away, while only leaving your home smelling better to your mere human nostrils.

And setting traps is always a tried and true resort. The spring-loaded kind should be preferred to glue traps, live traps, and poison. Why? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says glue and live traps can scare mice and cause them to urinate, increasing your risk of being exposed to disease. Poison is risky to both children and pets, but it also allows for rodents to eat it and then sneak off to die in a wall or hole in your home. That would not be a fun surprise to find – or smell – at a later date.

Spring-loaded traps should be set close to walls because this is where rodents most often travel. Although the cartoons use cheese, peanut butter is actually better bait. Another expert recommends a cotton ball with a few drops of water on it – attractive to rodents as nesting material. Rats can be harder to catch, so some professionals recommend using fruit or bacon. You might even try placing it in one location for a few days without a trap. They will grow accustomed to eating in that spot without fear, making it more likely that their next meal there will be the last.

Professionals

Most importantly, a rodent infestation is not something you want to mess with.  If you continue to see signs of their presence, seek professional help.  (Or seek it even earlier if even one mouse is just too much to face.) Try pestworld.org to find a licensed professional near you. Just make sure you understand the terms of their treatment, such as if it is a one-time visit or a comprehensive package if the problem persists, before signing a contract.

 

Source: “Of Mice and Apartment Sales,” The New York Times, November 6, 2015

admin

For all of your Real Estate needs, place yourself in the competent hands of a career Realtor who is a Philadelphia native and Delaware County resident. Skilled, smart and enthusiastic about his work and his life, Anthony DiDonato has the appealing combination of business sense and people skills gives him an edge in an industry that demands both.

Educated at Drexel University with a dual major in accounting and finance and minors in management and psychology Anthony DiDonato offers over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has been a real estate investor since 1985 and a member of H.A.P.C.O. (Landlord Association). He became a licensed Realtor in 1992 and a member of the Local, Pennsylvania and National Associations of Realtors. Anthony DiDonato is also a member of the Computerized Multiple Listings, (MLS) and Internet Marketing Programs. In 1997 Anthony DiDonato became Century 21 All-Elite, Inc. Corporate Secretary.

Anthony DiDonato believes in taking his profession to the highest level of quality service. He is known for finding that “perfect” property in Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania for his buyers and helping his sellers prepare their properties so they sell quickly and efficiently.

When it comes time to negotiate the terms of a contract, Anthony DiDonato has the knowledge, experience, and professionalism applied to meeting – or exceeding – his clients’ expectations. His service to his clients is second to none. His honesty and integrity have been his claim to fame.

For Superior Real Estate Representation in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania… call Anthony DiDonato.