29 Nov The Damage Rodents Can Do to Your Home
When you talk about pests, you can’t avoid talking about rodents. Even though they’re small, mice and rats are formidable foes in the pest control world, and for good reason. They’re notorious for carrying disease and being a general threat to health. It doesn’t end there, though.
Rodents are some of the most destructive pests in terms of property damage. While the problems they present may start small, they grow exponentially. Even a single rodent poses a threat to your valuables, as well as your home itself.
These are a few of the different ways that rodents can wreak havoc in your home.
Structural Damage
All rodents have teeth designed for chipping away at things. Beavers are part of the rodent family, and they’re known for taking down entire trees. Mice and rats aren’t far behind them when it comes to what they’re capable of. To traverse your home, they have no problem gnawing through wood and gypsum, creating holes in structures. This makes the structure susceptible to all sorts of damage, meaning that things can escalate from there.
Electrical Damage
Mice and rats are known for making quick work of copper wiring, gnawing right through them with ease. Maybe it’s because they have a similar shape to roots. Regardless of the reason, rodents decimate wires. This can cause numerous issues with the electrical systems in your home and can even cause fires.
Damage to HVAC Systems
Animals, like people, like to take the path of least resistance. This is why footpaths in natural areas are frequented by deer and bears, not just humans. Rodents are no different, but their paths are. They often find themselves in airways and ducts in homes. These structures represent tunnels of sorts, and the rats don’t have to dig them themselves. Naturally, they’re going to be inclined to use them. When they do, it puts stress on your HVAC system, sometimes causing irreparable damage. It also introduces several things into the air inside your home, leading us to our next point.
Damage to Your Health
When you have a rodent problem, you also have a problem with rodent droppings. The waste left behind by rodents is full of microscopic organisms that can cause your health to suffer greatly. Exposure to rodent droppings puts you and your family at risk for diseases like hantavirus, a virus that has a mortality rate close to 40%. Unfortunately, just sweeping it up doesn’t remedy the situation. When rodents start to contaminate your home, professional cleaning and treatment is almost always required.
If You See One, There’s Probably More
Even just a single rodent can cause expensive damage to your home. The worst part, though, is that rodents are rarely alone. If you see rodents, or any signs of them, be sure to reach out to us at Proctor Pest Control today. The earlier you take care of a potential rodent problem, the sooner your family and your home are safe.