During times of extreme weather conditions, unwanted pests such as rodents can become a serious issue for rental homes. In case the weather gets cold, rodents fancy and always look for warmth and a stable food supply, making homes a tempting shelter. On the flip side, during hot weather, rodents may invade residential areas seeking out for water, hugely increasing the infestation risk. Accordingly, with their easily available food and water sources, our homes can be very appealing to rodents, for example mice, squirrels, rats, and other pests.
Eliminate items attractive to pests
Keeping your rental home free of pests can be challenging and even a headache, but on the other hand, a few basic actions can go a long way in maintaining a rodent-free space. It’s really important to implement proactive tactics to eliminate potential food sources that might entice these undesirable guests. Properly storing and disposing of food and waste and keeping your living space clean and tidy are critical ways to prevent infestations.
Remember to immediately remove or securely store pet food, bird seed, grass seed, and fallen fruit from fruit trees in sturdy plastic containers with compactly sealed lids to avoid attracting pests, including rodents, insects, and other animals.
Seal entry points around the home
Another main task to keep rodents out is to seal all potential entry points around the home’s foundation, eaves, and soffits. Any gaps or holes should be filled with steel mesh, caulk, or plaster and observed regularly to keep the seals intact.
Soaking cotton balls with peppermint oil and placing them where small bugs may enter is a natural remedy that has been reported to work well (this action furthermore leaves an excellent smell).
If you are charged to provide pest control to your residents (multiple states do not require owners of single-family homes to provide pest control, so look to your local statutes) and natural actions aren’t keeping the pests out, you may need to apply traps or hire an exterminator to handle the problem. But having said that, using traps, poisons, or other ploys pose significant risks to residents and their pets unless used selectively and appropriately well.
Maintain regular rodent-proofing
As a property owner, integrating rodent-proofing into your long list of weatherizing tasks may strike you as one heavy responsibility too many. Though, it’s salient to always remember that regular maintenance is key to keeping your property rodent-free. It can be rather difficult to always consider to check the foundations and eaves of each property and monitor the home for its correct handling of potential pest-attracting food sources, except it’s a task that can’t really be left unattended.
You could monitor and execute all these tasks yourself, or you could turn them over to Real Property Management Pro Care. Our comprehensive property management programs not only keep rodents out but also always make sure of the overall integrity of your property, keeping your residents delighted and your investment sheltered. Contact us online or call us at 215-770-4312 today to comprehend more about our property management services.
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