Rodent Control in Mt. Prospect, IL
If you live in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, you should be familiar with several species of rodents: field mice, house mice, deer mice, and especially roof or Norway rats, the only specie which is am immigrant rodent and not native of the Chicago area. Due to their large size which can be up to 18 inches including the long tail and weighing one pound or more, this rodent is the most feared and detested. However, the small house mouse can create enough damage to your home’s wiring, pantry and furnishings to send you for a variety of traps, bait and rodent control devices. Rightly so, considering that rodents are still causing deadly plagues not only in other countries but in the United States.
Number 1 Deterrent – Sanitation
All rodent control effort must rid an area of food for rodents inside and outside. Keep all food in metal and plastic sealed containers hard for rodents to chew. Trash should be stored in tightly sealed metal containers and replacement of city trash containers with “rodent-proof” ones must be part of Mt. Prospect’s rodent management plan.
Dumpsters should be away from buildings with no holes larger than ¼-inch and drains plugged. Surrounding areas have to stay clean, trash removal regular and frequent. Water management is important for rat control, water not puddling, with bad areas sloped away from buildings. Repair leaking pipes and faucets, and never let water stay in sinks overnight. Keep lids on toilets, because rodents drink water and urine from them and can get into a building by swimming pipes and emerging from toilets.
Seal any holes of ¼ inch or more with ¼-inch mesh metal screen, metal “wool” and concrete mix. Remember acrobatic abilities of rodents, because rats can jump three feet vertically. Therefore 3-½-foot polished metal or gloss paint should extend around the structure, new construction installing metal two feet below ground also. Keep doors closed and use kick plates so rats and mice cannot gnaw them. Support poles and vertical pipes can have metal collars to prevent rats from climbing them. Screen all exterior vents and drains and spaces around drains filled with cement. Removing food sources and their entry forces rats to go farther to search of food and increase the odds of encountering your traps and bait.
Get It All Together
Mt. Prospect’s water/sewer authority is responsible for water and sewer systems and may be in charge of rodent elimination. Your public works purview of trash removal and trash containers has a prevention role, while housing authorities maintain rodent and vegetation control. Recreation departments conduct rodent control for public parks, and the Department of Public Health informs the public on disease control with tech support for enforcement.
Trapping or Baiting?
Now you are keeping rodents at bay but some found a way inside. First, know which rodent you are after. Traps can catch multiple mice at one time but rats won’t fall for it. Poisons have to be carefully guarded to prevent killing pets and people, especially children. Get appropriate advice before going to war to rid your living space of disease carrying rodents.
The following zip codes are serviceable areas in the Mt. Prospect, Illinois area: 60056
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