Tips for Keeping Your Everett Home Rodent-free
This story is brought to you by Live in Everett Sponsor Parker Eco Pest Control.
Nothing ruins a good time like an uninvited guest, and that's especially true when rodents invade your home. They're not just noisy and dirty, either. They can damage your personal electronics, your house's electrical wiring, and even the house itself if they chew up piping and joists. Whether you already have a rat problem or you'd like to proactively prevent one, follow these tips from our friends at Parker Eco Pest Control, Everett's rodent control experts.
Parker will inspect your property for issues and provide a plan of action // Courtesy of Parker Eco Pest Control
TRIM THOSE TREES AND BUSHES
Nothing beats a lush, mature thicket of trees for keeping a yard cool, shady, and private. But you need to be sure your beautiful landscaping isn't also a bridge for rodents to get from the ground to your roof. Keep branches at least six feet away from the house or else rats can jump from them and find their way in. Bushes and plantings need to be a foot or more from the foundation to prevent rats from creating runs around your house that are shielded from predators.
KEEP UP WITH HOME MAINTENANCE
Rats can chew right through older, damaged roofs, and most homes in Washington have a gap between the shingles and the gutter because the strip of metal flashing to seal that gap wasn't part of the building code until 2015. Anywhere else, rats only need a hole the size of a quarter to gain entry.
Birds may seem harmless but can cause lots of property damage // Courtesy of Parker Eco Pest Control
DON'T FEED PESTS
This one might seem obvious. We know if we don't clean up carefully after a barbecue that the mess left behind can feed a party of rats later that night and for days to come. But if you keep a compost heap behind your house or even use a container that's homemade or doesn't seal well, you've just created a rodent salad bar. Have chickens? They aren't exactly the tidiest eaters, so their coops need to be secured with mesh above ground as well as below so rats can't tunnel in for a snack.
Let the experts handle wasp removal // Courtesy of Parker Eco Pest Control
SKIP THE POISON
You might be able to kill a lot of rodents by laying out poison, but that option comes with a lot of unintended consequences. Your own kids and pets might get into it, not to mention the local wildlife and neighborhood pets that could eat the poisoned rodents and be killed as well. And since poison doesn't kill instantly, you could end up with a dead rat in your wall or crawlspace that will have to be removed if you don't want to live with the stench for a week or two until it mummifies.
DON'T WAIT FOR OBVIOUS ISSUES
If you see rodents in the daytime, you already have a big problem; they're normally active at dusk so those who come out earlier are facing lots of competition for food. But you may have a problem even if you haven't noticed it, and you can be proactive with help from Parker. For $99, they'll inspect your property for potential rodent inroads and provide a plan of action. If you proceed, the $99 consultation fee is deducted from your final bill!
Crawlspace fogging // Courtesy Parker Eco Pest Control
Parker Eco Pest Control is a woman-owned business that can help you find organic solutions to problems with rodents as well as other pests like ants, silverfish, wasps, and more. They're licensed contractors who can do the necessary repairs, along with installing poison-free traps and the cleaning that's often necessary after an infestation is addressed. Schedule a consultation online or give them a call today.
Parker Eco Pest Control
1-800-ECO-1698
parkerecopestcontrol.com
Christopher Bragg works from home in Everett and loves walking, swimming, and cats. You can find him all over town, but only if you keep weird hours and avoid crowds like he does.