Winter pests

In the coming winter months certain pests will try to enter your home to keep warm and look for food.

Rats and mice will enter your home looking for shelter and food for the winter months.

Spiders will start entering your home to keep warm.

So how can how can this be prevented?

Rats: 70 – 80% of rat’s issues in a domestic property are drain related and this can be easily prevented by fitting a one-way valve in the sewer pipe leading into your property.

Feeding birds in your back garden will attract rodents closer to your property and greatly increase the chance of the rodents entering your home. This can be helped by attaching a bird feeder tray under the feeders to help prevent food dropping to the floor and attracting the rodents to the area.

Rats can gain access into your hole through a hole the size of a 50p pens piece, so any holes around the outside of your hole of that size or bigger should be proofed with wire wool or mesh. Once the wool or mesh has been pushed into the hole seal it over with something to hold it in place.

If you can clear your garden of overgrown areas and remove any rubbish it will discourage rodents from the area as they will have less places to hide from predators.

Decking is a favourite place for rats to hide so blocking entry point going under the decking will also help prevent rodents making your garden there home.

Mice: Mice will be entering your home looking for food and shelter as it gets colder and the poor weather starts. 

Mice can enter your home through a hole that is 5mm, about the size of a 5p pens piece.

These holes can be through air bricks, gaps under doors or holes around pipes leading into your property.

These entry points can easily be blocked, fitting bristle strips on doors and proofing holes with wire wool as you would with the rats. Air bricks around the house are common entry points and be easily proofed by fitting air brick covers on all low-down air bricks. 

Spiders: Spiders will be entering your home this time of year to keep warm and get shelter from the rain. A simple and free way to help prevent spiders in your home is to place conkers around the rooms of your home.

I you would like help with any pest issues please feel free to contact Kent Pest Management.