Rats often become a serious problem in cold winter months in Pennsylvania when they seek food and warmth inside buildings and homes. They may suddenly appear in large numbers when excavation work disturbs their in-ground nesting locations, or their food source is changed.
When rats find their way into commercial businesses or homes they often cause electrical fires in buildings by gnawing through plastic electrical junction boxes. Rats must constantly gnaw on hard objects to cut back their growing teeth.
Dangers of Rats – Pennsylvania
There are two pest species of rats commonly found in domestic and commercial premises – the brown rat and the black rat. The identification of each species is essential to formulate an effective control program.
The most common way rats transmit disease organisms is by contaminating food with their droppings and urine. The most threatening organism spread by rats is Salmonella, a cause of food poisoning, spread through droppings. Rats and the parasites that come with them can carry a number of diseases, some of which are potentially deadly to humans, like Hantavirus, Listeria, and Rat-Bite Fever.
Rats in Your Pennsylvania Home?
Many people believe if they’ve never seen a mouse or rat in their home, they’re not there. That’s overly optimistic. Rodents can be quite secretive and live in your home for a long time without you noticing. Even if they’re not in your home yet, they soon could be. A rat can enter into your home through a small opening and once inside your home, rats reproduce quickly. In no time, you are fighting a full-on infestation.
Pointe Pest Control offers rodent control services to homes and businesses in Pennsylvania. Our experts are trained to locate areas of rodent activity and potential rodent entry points and to eliminate the problem. Contact us today and we will perform a rodent control inspection to ensure you and your family are protected.