Many property managers believe that ongoing pest control contracts are not necessary. After all, what's the difficulty in buying a few rat traps if a problem arises? Surely, they think, it's a waste of money to pay every month for maintenance against a problem that doesn't yet exist. Unfortunately, this is ultimately proved foolish thinking when rats get a foothold on their property. If you are a wise manager, you don't want to learn the hard way that, when it comes to rats, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Rodents: exploding populations
Rats are, unfortunately, frequent visitors to densely populated buildings such as apartments and housing communities. In search of food, warmth, and shelter, rats can enter residences through holes the size of a quarter.
According to a story by ABC News, the rat population is exploding across the country. Consider these numbers:
Complaints about rats in Boston have increased 40 percent
More than 33,000 rat sightings were reported in Chicago in one month
Last year the city of New York performed more than 95,000 rodent inspections, and the city's rodent population is estimated to be about two million.
Summer swarms
Forget the "dog days" of summer: it's rats you'll be seeing more of in the summer, because rodents thrive in warm weather. With more people out and about, rats are quick to pounce on their leftover picnic and barbeque foods. Additionally, standing water in kids' front yard pools attracts thirsty rodents. If your housing or commercial complex is planning more outdoor activities in the months ahead, now is the perfect time to institute preventive measures.
Diabolical destruction and disease
Aside from the "eew" factor for your tenants who see rodents around the property you own, rats cause destruction and bring disease.
Destruction. Rats chew through cinder block, electrical wiring, and insulation. In fact, twenty percent of undetermined residential fires are chalked up to rodents' chewing electrical wires. These rodents also tear up insulation, reducing its effectiveness and driving up your energy costs. Further, if you have had a rat infestation on your property, you cannot sell it without disclosing this to potential buyers.
Disease. Rodents bite 40,000 people per year in this country. Rat bites expose your tenants to diseases such as leptospirosis, hantavirus, bubonic plague, and rat-bite fever. These illnesses can also be spread through human contact with rodents' urine and fecal material--and because rats urinate and defecate indiscriminately, any surfaces on which they have walked are suspect.
If you can prevent rats from finding shelter on your residential or commercial property, you will avoid paying unnecessary money for repairs. Additionally, you will reduce your liability for diseases contracted by your tenants.
Quick action is imperative
Rats are impressively rapid breeders, becoming sexually mature at only five weeks old. In fact, one pair of rats can create 2,000 descendants in just one year. If you see a few rats on your property, there are likely to be many more in the nest. If you wait to consider rodent control until you detect a problem, you may have to spend much more money than if you had preventive measures in place.
In light of the likely increase in the rat population in your area, and the strong possibility that the imminent warm weather will bring them to your property, be wise. Call a local extermination company and initiate a plan for ongoing rat control. This will probably consist of regular inspections, suggestions for rodent prevention, and prompt action against any rats that creep onto the grounds. Don't foolishly let rodents get a foothold on your property: act now. Check out websites like http://cavanaughspest.com for more information.
Share19 June 2015
How often do you double check your front door or make sure that your garage door is closed? Although installing a home security system and giving your children instructions about stranger danger might seem like second nature, some people forget that there are real safety threats sitting around their windowsills. My child was bitten by a poisonous spider a few years ago, and ever since then, I have worked to increase awareness about the importance of pest control. A little pesticide can keep dangerous bugs from seeking refuge in your home and threatening your family. My website discusses different ways to keep your kids safe.