The Winter Invasion: Rodents and Your Family's Health

When autumn leaves fall and the Ohio chill sets in, you turn up the thermostat and get cozy. Unfortunately, local wildlife has the exact same idea. Mice, rats, and squirrels are constantly seeking a warm place to survive the winter.

The Search for Shelter

Rodents are not built to survive harsh freezing temperatures without adequate shelter. As their natural food sources dwindle outside, your home becomes a glowing beacon of warmth and sustenance.

They are incredible contortionists. A mouse can squeeze through a gap the size of a dime; a rat needs only the space of a quarter. They often enter through weeping holes in brick, gaps around HVAC lines, damaged roof vents, or deteriorating weather stripping on garage doors.

Severe Harm to Your Living Situation

Rodents do not make good houseguests. In fact, they are highly destructive. Rodents constantly gnaw to keep their incisor teeth filed down.

In a modern home, this means they chew through drywall, PVC piping, and most dangerously, electrical wiring. It is estimated by fire investigators that a significant percentage of "unexplained" house fires are actually caused by rodents stripping the insulation off live wires in walls and attics.

A Direct Threat to Human Health

Beyond property damage, the health risks are severe. Rodents constantly leave trails of urine and droppings as they travel through your pantry, inside your cabinets, and across your counters.

• Hantavirus: Spread primarily by deer mice, this severe respiratory disease is transmitted when humans breathe in aerosolized particles from dried rodent urine or droppings.
• Salmonella: Rodents crawling across food preparation surfaces can easily spread this bacteria, causing severe food poisoning.
• Parasites: Rodents bring fleas, ticks, and mites indoors, creating secondary infestations.