If rodents enter your home and begin to multiply, you could have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to make extensive repairs to various parts of your house. Rodent damage results in billions in costs to homes and businesses throughout the U.S. each year.
So, what sort of damage do rodents cause?
This article explores the most common types of rodent damage and how to prevent it in your home.
Structural Integrity Issues
Often, the most costly forms of rodent damage are structural because mice and rats chew through nearly anything and everything. Commonly chewed parts of your home include insulation, walls, wood, and soft concrete.
Electrical Dangers
One of the most dangerous things about rodents is their propensity to chew through electrical wires. When mice and rats chew through cables, their inner parts become exposed, increasing the risk of fires.
Destruction from Nesting Habits
Mice and rats build nests to give birth and keep their young safe. However, they need appropriate nest-building materials and often find these materials in important items around your home. Paper documents, fabric, and insulation are common nest materials for rodents.
HVAC System Damage
Rodents also tend to build nests within HVAC ducts and damage heating and cooling systems. HVAC repairs are costly and can make you feel uncomfortable if the temperatures outside are extremely hot or cold.
Plumbing Issues
Rodents can also impact your home’s plumbing by chewing through pipes that transport water throughout the house. Chewed pipes lead to leaks, flooding your home, destroying your belongings, and causing expensive repairs.
Pheromone Markings
Beyond the visible damage that rodents cause, they also leave behind odors and pheromones, which are chemical signals transmitted within a species to trigger social responses. Pheromones are contained in rodents’ urine and other bodily fluids. These scents left behind can attract other rodents to your home, resulting in a much larger infestation than you ever imagined.
Personal Item Damage
You work hard to buy clothing and household items that you love, making you feel safe and comfortable. However, rodents are notorious for destroying personal items of significant financial and sentimental value in homes. The damage results when mice and rats chew through your beloved clothes, shoes, photographs, furniture, and items in storage.
Contaminated Food and Surfaces
Can mice damage your house? Definitely, but they can also contaminate your home and cause damage through their fecal droppings and urine. Rodents’ excrement spreads disease when mice and rats get into food that is not adequately sealed and stored away. They can also contaminate countertops and other surfaces in your home that you use for food preparation and personal hygiene.
Call Us to Prevent Rodent Damage
To prevent extensive rodent damage in your home, it is essential to understand the early warning signs of mice and rat activity. Precise Termite & Pest Control specializes in mice and rat control so that you can prevent rodent damage before it occurs.
We offer free home inspections to help you assess your rodent problem and take action before it gets worse. Our services go far above and beyond DIY traps and allow you to rest easy with peace of mind that your home isn’t overrun by pests that cause disease and destroy your home.
Please contact us online or at 866-971-2847 to learn more about our rodent services or schedule your inspection.