Rats! How to Protect Your Home From Rodents

Last weekend we posted a blog about how the Wholefoods in Cupertino got shut down because of a rodent infestation. Which still gives me the creeps! I promised some tips this week to keep rodents out of your own house, so here we gooooooo!!!!

I know this isn’t exactly cocktail party conversation, but here's the wild part: even the cleanest, nicest homes can have rodent visitors without anyone knowing. These little guys are quiet, resourceful, and can squeeze through holes you’d barely notice—think the size of a dime. So if your house has a few tiny gaps near vents, around pipes, under the garage door, or in the attic, that’s basically an open invitation for rats to throw a rager in your attic, walls, and crawl space.

But don’t worry—I’m not here to gross you out, just to help you out. You can keep your home off the rodent radar with a few simple habits.

Seal up any little openings you can find. Walk around your house and look at the crawl space vents. If any of them have even the smallest hole, patch it up. Your garage door has a seal on the bottom of it and most of them are 30+ years old. Go inside your garage, turn off the light, and if you can see any daylight under your garage door, mice can literally just walk into your house! Get a top-of-the-line seal for $30 and install it yourself in 10 minutes. Rats and mice can crawl up stucco and siding! They climb up your walls to where your roof starts, and they look for gaps in the wall/roofing and vents. Walk around your house and look for these things! Keep food (including pet food) stored tightly, and don’t let that backyard woodpile or overgrown ivy turn into a rodent resort. Italian Cypress trees are notorious for attracting rats. I saw an Italian Cypress get cut down a couple of years ago, and you would not believe how many rats ran out of that thing when it fell down!  Fun! 

If you’re hearing strange scratching at night, you've got rats! Little brown ovals on the floor of your garage? That isn't dirt, they're probably mice turds!  All of this can be remedied with a good exterminator; the steps aren't hard, but it's just kinda gross.  No? 

Homeownership: ain't it glamorous?

As always, I’m here if you have any questions. Take care of your house and it'll take care of you! Keep those critters outside!