Rodent Control in Northern Virginia with ExtermPRO

Both mice and rats can be dangerous. These pests spread disease through their skin oils, droppings, bites, and saliva. They are also aggressive chewers, and may chew at electrical wires and other parts of your home. The moment you hear a scurrying sound in your walls, or suspect rodents for any reason, it is best to call a pest control company right away.

ExtermPRO is a local Northern Virginia rodent control company based in Gainesville that is available to get rid of rats and mice and prevent them from coming back. Learn more about our rodent control services by contacting us at 571-620-1168.

Problems and Risks of Rodents on Local Properties

There are three types of rodents that make up the majority of invasions in homes and businesses in Gainesville and nearby towns. These are:

• House Mouse Infestations – This is the most common form of rodent infestation here in Gainesville, Bristow, Warrenton, and Haymarket. House mice are a light grey color and between 2 to 4 inches long, not including their tails. Mice like grain based products best, but will eat any food they can find inside your home as well as insects.
• Norway Rat Infestations – The rat we see most often in Northern Virginia homes is the Norway rat. They are 7 to 9 inches long, although the tail can bring their total length to 16 inches. They are light brown, prefer to burrow out in nature, and survive mostly off trash and insects like cockroaches when inside. Thick vegetation around your home makes the area more attractive to them.
• Roof Rat Infestations – Roof rats are brown or black in color and about 6 to 8 inches long plus their tail, although they look sleeker than a Norway rat. They are less likely to come inside, but will often make their nests in attics and above ceilings when they do. Roof rats will build up a horde of whatever food they can find in your home.

Rats and mice are very different mammals, but they all cause similar dangers. When rodents are living inside your home, they are unlikely to leave on their own while food is present. They will also begin to breed, multiplying the amount of damage they can cause. This damage includes:

• Property Damage – Mice, and to some extent rats, are chewers. They will pull up insulation to build their nests, and are liable to chew on many of the different surfaces they come across until there are irreparable chew marks.
• Droppings – Rodents leave feces behind as they move throughout your house. These droppings will contaminate the surfaces they land on, and can lead to odors or even attract other pests like flies.
• Disease – Rats and mice carry diseases like salmonella, rat-bite fever, hantavirus, the plague, and more. These can be transmitted through bites, scratches, and feces depending on the type of bacteria or virus.
• Chewed Wires – Mice particularly like to chew on the wiring behind walls and appliances. This can be damaging to your electrical system and leads to fire damage in some cases.

A long term rodent infestation can lead to extensive damage that can be expensive to repair. But rodents are not always easy to detect. They naturally nest in hard to reach areas and are most active at night. Scratching and rustling noises, especially starting in the evening, can be the first indication of a rodent infestation and droppings in the areas rodents traverse are another common sign.

Yet by the time you notice these signs, you may have several rodents that have already caused damage and health risks. Regular rodent inspections can help find mice and rats soon after they first enter your home to prevent damage in the first place.

How Rodents Get In to Your Home

Most buildings will naturally develop small holes over time, or even have areas that weren’t fully sealed during the initial construction process. This can happen when a sealant fails, the structure cracks, or broken elements in:

• Foundations
• Windows and Doors
• Vents
• Pipes
• Uncapped Chimneys
• Roofs and Soffits

Despite their size, their bodies can fit through even the smallest of holes. For mice, a hole that is only ¼ inch wide is big enough for them to squeeze through. ½ inch is enough for a 16 inch Norway rat to get in through.

Once inside, mice and rats will build nests in quiet, warm spaces where they are likely not to be disturbed. Norway rats tend to prefer basements and ground level hiding spaces while roof rats and house mice often nest in attics, wall voids, behind appliances, and in the backs of cupboards.

These sheltered areas keep rodents protected from the weather and predators while ideally providing them easy access to the food in your house, most often either in your pantry or your trash. However, many mice and rats use the house for shelter and still find food outdoors, which is why even eliminating food is not necessarily going to be enough to keep them away.

Preventative Rodent Control with ExtermPRO

We offer quarterly and bi-monthly pest protection plans that include regular rodent control. When we visit your property on schedule, we use a process to get rid of both mice and rats that includes:

• Inspection – Every time we come to your property, we look for all of the common signs of rodents in places they would typically live or travel. Our pest control experts are experienced in finding more obscure signs and hiding places.
• Removal – If we find any rodents on your property during a regular pest control treatment, we need to get rid of them. Rodents are dealt with through extermination in which they are captured in baited traps.
• Exclusion – This is the process of sealing up all the holes and cracks in a home that rats and mice will crawl through to access your house. It is a humane method of rodent prevention that makes it impossible for rodents – and other pests – to get into your property in the first place.

Our rodent treatments are comprehensive and safe for your family. They are also designed to keep mice and rats out for the long term so that you do not see any rodents between our service visits.

Commercial Rodent Control

Commercial properties are also at risk for rodent invasions, and these can be incredibly problematic. Not only do they put your employees, customers, and tenants at risk, but they can have serious financial consequences if your business is subjected to penalties or your reputation suffers.

Our rodent protection plans are ideal for businesses. We can identify the signs of mice or rats early on and get rid of them fast before your customers notice them. We also continuously monitor for places where rodents may get in so that we can take preventative steps.

Why Our Customers Depend on ExtermPRO for Rodent Control

ExtermPRO is a Gainesville pest control company that combines prevention and treatment for all pests, including rats and mice. We use the latest treatments, traps, and solutions for eliminating rodents. To be safe and humane, we prioritize chemical free methods first, relying on exclusion and deterrents to keep most mice and rats out, and extermination if any do find their way on your property.

In addition to being a licensed and insured pest control company, we take pride in being:

• Transparent – Dealing with pests like mice and rats can feel overwhelming. That’s why we make sure you are informed at every step of the way with an accurate idea of what the challenges are and your available options.
• Professional – We are experts in local rodent control. We know what brings mice and rats into your home, where they get in, and how to get them out. This makes it possible for us to provide ongoing rodent control that is friendly and effective, as well as give you the knowledge to help keep your property pest free.
• Affordable – Preventative rodent control addresses problems before they start or in the early stages. This means solutions are faster and less invasive than a full scale extermination, meaning you can avoid the expenses of elimination and repairs from rodent damage.

We provide our rodent control to commercial and residential properties in Gainesville, Haymarket, Bristow, Centreville, and Warrenton where we can help you get rid of mice, rats, and bugs with ongoing pest control or quickly remove an infestation from your property.

Get a Free Quote for Gainesville Rodent Control

Our full service rodent and pest control guarantees that your residential or commercial property will be free of pests – and the damages they cause – as long as we are detecting rodents fast. Call ExtermPRO today at 571-620-1168 to get an estimate for rodent control and get started on protecting your home and family from mice and rats.