Category: Rats

Effective Rodent-Proofing: Sealing Entry Points and Cracks

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Effective Rodent-Proofing: Sealing Entry Points and Cracks

Nobody wants rodents in their home; however, rats and mice are efficient at finding their way inside Boston area properties. The nuisance pests often gain access through gaps or cracks in vulnerable places around your home. Once inside, the pests will nest in your attic, walls, or crawl spaces before accessing your food and water sources. Fortunately, there are some rodent-proofing tips to prevent invasive rats and mice from taking over your home.

Rodent-Proofing Your Home

To effectively rodent-proof your property, start by looking in the most exposed areas both in and outside of your home. Some of the most common entry points that rats and mice use include:

  • Gaps under windows and doors
  • Piping leading to sinks, appliances, and water heaters
  • Dryer vents
  • Floor drains in basements or laundry rooms
  • Wall exposures in foundations, basements, and attics crawl spaces
  • Around openings for electric, plumbing, and gas lines

How to Seal Entry Points and Cracks

Once you’ve identified the areas of exposure around your home, seal them up to prevent rodents from getting through. Steel wool is a thick material that rodents can’t chew through. Simply fill the gap with steel wool and caulk around the area to keep it in place. Larger holes can be filled with cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting. Make sure any wet materials used to seal gaps sets properly to ensure your rodent-proofing techniques can’t be chewed or torn through.

The Inefficiencies of DIY Rodent-Proofing

At-home, DIY rodent-proofing may catch some of the vulnerable areas, but it takes expertise to fully ensure rats and mice won’t make it inside your home. Rodent removal professionals will have the experience and equipment to locate rodent entry points and effectively seal them to prevent future infestations. Therefore, the best way to remove rodents and fortify your home is to call the rodent-proofing experts at Critter Control® of Boston.

Professional Rodent-Proofing Services in the Greater Boston Area

At Critter Control® of Boston, our team of wildlife removal professionals use non-toxic, chemical-free, and humane methods to remove rodents and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our efficient rodent-proofing and removal services, call us today at 617-975-0440.

5 Signs of a Mouse or Rat Infestation in Your Home

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5 Signs of a Mouse or Rat Infestation in Your Home

Animals, like humans, are always searching for food and shelter. Few critters are craftier and more dedicated to these pursuits than the mouse and the rat. While some people keep these rodents as pets, invasive mice and rats that are left to breed and spread throughout a home can be a dangerous and costly situation for a homeowner.

With the real threat of health risks and property damage in mind, it’s vital that you know the signs of a mouse or rat infestation in your Greater Boston area home and what steps to take to end it.

The 5 Signs of a Mouse or Rat Infestation

While mice and rats are clever critters, they are bad at covering their tracks. Therefore, the signs of a mouse or rat infestation are easy to notice. Here are five signs that can help you determine if you have mouse or rat infestation in your home:

  1. Droppings

    Dark stains and the presence of fecal matter around your home are usually the most prominent signs of a growing rodent infestation.

  2. Smell of urine

    Mice and rat urine has an especially pungent smell similar to ammonia that can permeate throughout your residential property.

  3. Gnawed material

    Both rodent species love chewing through wood beams, electrical wires, plastic pipes, cardboard boxes, and anything else in their way. Their gnawing can create fire hazards, costly damage, and small holes that they can travel through.

  4. Nighttime noises

    With easily identifiable squeaking, scurrying, and scratching noises, mice and rats give away their locations in attics and interior walls.

  5. Unusual pet behavior

    Dogs and cats are very attuned to other creatures. If your dog or cat is barking or scratching at your ceiling and walls, then they are likely detecting the smell of mice and rats inside the home.

Effective Mouse and Rat Infestation Elimination

Mice and rats are prime vehicles for infectious diseases, contamination, and property damage. If you recognize any of the above indicators of a mouse or rat infestation, call a professional immediately. For safe, fast, and humane Greater Boston area mouse and rat removal, no one in the is better equipped than the wildlife removal experts at Critter Control® of Boston.

Expert Greater Boston Area Mouse and Rat Removal

If your property in the Greater Boston area is overrun with invasive rodents such as rats and mice, then rely on the professional animal removal experts at Critter Control® of Boston. Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your Greater Boston area home or business, call us today at 617-975-0440.

How Much Does a Rat Exterminator Cost?

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How Much Does a Rat Exterminator Cost?

Nobody wants to deal with a rat infestation in their home. In order to minimize the potential impact of rats on your property and its inhabitants, you’ll want to act fast. While you may be tempted to flirt with the idea of dealing with the problem yourself, hiring an expert to remove rats is the safest and most efficient option. However, no rat problem is the same, so each rat removal estimate will vary.

Here are some factors that can affect the cost of a rat exterminator and the reasons why you’ll want such invasive rodents captured, contained, and removed by professionals who know what they’re doing.

3 Rat Exterminator Cost Factors

When determining the price of your rat removal, several factors are at play. These three important aspects will determine how much your specific rat problem will cost.

  1. Severity – The size of your rat infestation will be one of the largest factors your rat exterminator uses to determine the cost. Simply put, the greater number of rats, the more expensive it will be. This is because an exterminator will need more time to gather the resources necessary to remove and relocate the rats.
  2. Damages caused – Rats can cause lots of damage to your property, which may require professional repair. Some exterminators can provide such restorative services, but they will require additional costs.
  3. Entry points – Rats can crawl through vents, chimneys, windows, and unsealed cracks and holes in walls to get into your home. Exterminators can seal these vulnerable entry points, but the overall cost will increase.

When to Call for a Rat Exterminator

It’s possible to catch a few rats by yourself, but without a professional exterminator, the infestation will only grow. The earlier you notice the rat infestation, the more successful and less expensive the rat removal will be. That way, it will be easier for the exterminator to safely round up and remove these aggressive creatures, saving you time, energy, and money in the process.

Time is key. As soon as you see damage or take notice of rats in your home, it’s best to give the rat exterminators at Critter Control® of Boston a call. Our professional rat removal experts can provide safe services to end your rat infestation before it grows out of control.

Call Today for Your Free Rat Exterminator Quote

Whether you have an existing rat problem or want to take preventative measures to keep your home rat-free for good, you can rely on Critter Control® of Boston to best serve your property using safe and effective removal methods.

To schedule a free inspection of your Greater Boston area home or business, give us a call today at 617-975-0440.

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