New Jersey's Rodent Problems: What You Need to Know

New Jersey’s Rodent Problems: What You Can Do to Keep Your Home Rodent-Free

Here are eight things you can do to keep your home safe from New Jersey’s rodents. 

1. Seal Entry Points

When dealing with a rodent issue, you’ll quickly discover that these pesky critters are small and can fit through even the smallest openings. Mice, in particular, can squeeze through a hole the size of a blueberry. If you suspect you’re dealing with a rodent issue, inspect your attic and home for any holes small enough that a rodent could squeeze through.

To seal holes, you can use wool and surround it with caulk. If you suspect you’re dealing with a squirrel or raccoon in your attic, contact a professional to seal more significant entry points. 

2. Store and Seal Dry Food

You’ll want to store and seal your dry food to keep from attracting rodents to your home. When storing your food, you should store it in thick containers, either plastic or metal, that have secure lids. Keep pet food in thick and sturdy containers if you have pets at home.

If rodents view your home as a reliable food source, they’ll make a home in your attic, crawlspace, walls, and dark areas. Poorly sealed food items can attract even the most common pests. 

3. Keep Certain Plants

When you have rodents in your home, it’s crucial to tackle these problems immediately. Interestingly enough, there are several types of plants you can keep on the outside of your home that could deter rodents from entering.

Since rodents have a strong sense of smell, they can smell the fragrance of flowers. Most of these plants have natural repellents and are non-toxic, making it a better option than using a trap. Not only can rodents damage your insulation and the structure of your home, but they’re also filthy and can carry diseases.

If you’re dealing with a rodent infestation, you’ll want to contact a professional for remediation. 

4. Secure Outdoor Food Sources

If you have pets and often keep their food outdoors, you’ll want to know that raccoons and squirrels thoroughly enjoy pet food. Feeding your pet during the day and refraining from keeping pet food outdoors can keep raccoons and squirrels away.

Before it gets dark, remove any leftover food from the outdoors and secure your trash cans to prevent any additional wildlife from returning.

5. Set Bait and Traps

Traps are an efficient way to catch small rodents such as mice in your home. When setting traps, you can set the traps along the walls since these rodents are more likely to travel against walls. In addition, you’ll want to use a favored bait for your attract that would attract the rodents.

If you’re dealing with a squirrel or raccoon infestation, you should never attempt to bait or trap these rodents, as they can become threatened and dangerous. In these circumstances, contact a professional to remove the squirrels or raccoons, as they can catch and release them into their natural environment.

6. Use a Natural Repellent

When dealing with New Jersey’s rodent problems, you can use natural repellents to keep rodents away from your home and your family safe. Using natural repellents is a temporary solution; however, it’s a start when you also plan to call a professional.

As intelligent creatures, raccoons know when an environment houses the resources it wants. Some natural repellents give off a strong scent that raccoons and squirrels dislike. Some natural repellants you can use are vinegar, cayenne pepper, ammonia, and essential oils.

7. Call a Professional

If you’ve heard noises in your attic and other areas of your home, you might have a rodent problem. When not dealt with swiftly, a rodent problem can quickly turn destructive and dangerous if not handled by a trained professional.

At Master Attic, our trained professionals can help you eliminate and prevent these pesky rodents from returning by rodent-proofing your attic. When you use our services, our professionals can look for and seal entry points, remove raccoons and squirrels, block entry points, and perform remediation.

Have any questions? Call us today to schedule a free in-home estimate.

8. Perform a Remediation

Once you have officially eliminated your rodent problem with the services of a professional, they’ll perform a remediation. When rodents invade your home, they create damaged insulation, chew wires, and leave behind rodent waste.

When using our services at Master Attic, you can feel confident knowing that your attic is safe and clean. Our primary goal is to restore your attic or crawl space to its original condition and exceed your expectations.

During an attic cleanup, our professionals perform a pre-cleaning assessment, prepare and contain the area, clean your attic floors, remove insulation (if necessary), sanitize your attic, and perform a final clean-up and inspection.

Hiring a professional service to perform an attic remediation can provide many benefits to the health and safety of your home.