Professional Rodent Control in Southern Gateway, VA

How Can American Pest Help with Rodent Removal in Southern Gateway?

American Pest sends one of our licensed pest control professionals to your home for an inspection. We explore all the nooks and crannies to determine how mice and rats may find a way into your home. We’ll seal those weak spots and entry points and put together a treatment plan, including tamper-resistant bait stations.

Some people hear “rodent”, and they think of rats. However, rodents (or, to give them their family name, Rodentia) encompass mice, chipmunks, and squirrels. Commensal rodents that share a space with humans inside the home include rats and mice, while squirrels and chipmunks tend to live outdoors. All can be deemed pests, though, and American Pest is on hand to help you with rodent control.

Rodent removal is one of many services provided by American Pest to residents of Southern Gateway, Virginia. Rats and mice tend to find our homes and businesses most appealing over the fall and winter months, and our holistic strategies and proactive treatments stop that from becoming a reality.

At American Pest, we offer interior and exterior treatments for homes and businesses and provide follow-up inspections. Our Maryland service plans also come with American Pest’s Pest Free Pledge guarantee, while our SMART Pest Control service keeps tabs on mice and rat populations around your home.

Rodent Risks You Need to Be Aware Of

Throughout history, poor rodent pest control has led to many diseases spreading through the human population – the most famous of which is arguably the Black Death. Today’s rodents are just as capable of passing on illnesses as they always have been. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM), Mycoplasma, Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and Dysentery are just a handful.

When they aren’t spreading diseases through fleas, rodents can also contaminate areas with their feces. They breed remarkably quickly, and mice have a penchant for gnawing through electrical wiring, plastic piping, and wooden structures. Chewing electrical wiring can lead to fires, while pipe damage can mean flooding. Additional issues can include drywall, flooring, clothing, and insulation damage, alongside multiple sanitary problems.

Whether you are protecting homes or businesses in Southern Gateway, VA, all the above are excellent reasons to put in a call to American Pest’s rodent pest control team.

Rodents Commonly Found Around Southern Gateway, VA.

Maryland is home to multiple types of rodents. At American Pest, our team is familiar with them all, and our solutions are effective whatever infestation your home or business suffers from. Let us introduce you to a few of these below:

• Chipmunks and Squirrels: Chipmunks and squirrels also inhabit the area. While neither are particularly dangerous or aggressive, they can carry disease and are known to transmit lice and mites to humans. 
• Rats: Norway Rat and Roof Rat populations exist in the state. Roof Rats may also be known as Black Rats and Ship Rats. They are common and like to live high up. Norway Rats are sometimes referred to as Sewer Rats, Common Rats or Street Rats. They prefer the ground, particularly around trash.  
• Mice: Around Southern Gateway, you can find the House Mouse and Golden Mouse around your home. The Cotton Mouse tends to prefer swamps and forests. Deer Mice tend to live in wooden debris, storage boxes, or voids between walls, while Field Mice (such as the Woodland Jumping or Eastern Harvest mouse) can be found anywhere where it is moist and cool.

Why Might Rodent Infestations Occur in Southern Gateway?

Rodents tend to spring up for a variety of reasons. Two of the most common are food and shelter. These most basic of needs drive rodents into your yard and home. If the getting is good, they aren’t likely to go elsewhere once they’ve arrived. This is when it is ideal to contact rodent control. Naturally, leaving out food, not filling holes, and leading debris inside or outside your home are open invitations to rodents. They won’t need to be asked to enter twice.

We serve Southern Gateway and surrounding areas

How Can I Stop Rodents from Entering My Home in Southern Gateway, VA

Without proper rodent control from American Pest, it can be tough to stop rodents from entering your property. You can fill any holes and cracks to prevent mice and rats from entering, but rodents are capable of squeezing through impressively small gaps, some as little as 2cm in diameter. Things you can try may include:

• Put dry food into plastic sealed containers and keep lids tight on trash cans.
• Remove clutter from your yard and garage – the fewer hiding places rodents have, the better.
• Squirrels and chipmunks may be attracted to bird feeders – remove them.

Homeowners and businesses in Southern Gateway, VA, sometimes believe that getting a cat can help. Even if your cat is adequately motivated to cat rodents, it will seldom make much difference. Owing to their rapid reproduction rate, once rodents have sprung up on your property, you’ll likely need to contact American Pest for immediate assistance getting rid of the population.

Tell-Tale Signs of Early-Stage Rodent Infestations

There are a couple of tell-tale signs of rodent infestations in Southern Gateway, VA. Some of the most notable ones include:

• An ammonia-like smell is often indicative of house mice.
• Gnawing and clawing noises coming from the walls or floors.
• Droppings that are thin and may be tapered at one end.
• Smear marks from greasy fur on countertops or floors. These indicate a rodent with a well-traveled route.
• Tooth marks in metals, plastics, wood, cables, and wiring. They may be fully gnawed through.

Any of these should be acted upon, as delaying treatment could result in the rodent infestation expanding exponentially. Furthermore, if you live in an apartment complex in Southern Gateway, there is a greater risk of rodents spreading to other homes if you delay. 

Will Rodents Come Back After a Treatment from American Pest?

At American Pest, we believe in a Pest Free Pledge. If rodents do return on our watch, we’ll send one of experts around to tackle the issue anew. We’re confident they won’t, though.

American Pest tries to inspect your home the same or very next day. Our rodent control plan begins after our inspection. American Pest’s Maryland-based professionals will seal any identifiable entry points. We will then create a perimeter around your home with tamper-resistant bait stations. These will catch rodents, aiding us with rodent removal.

We have a SMART Pest Control service to ensure that we remain on top of rodent control. This keeps tabs on mice and rat populations around your residence and business, ensuring that the problem doesn’t reemerge.