London Pest Control - How To Keep Your Property Rodent Free

Posted by Valerie on March 26th, 2021

As we all know, the Internet has increased the ease with which people can look up and share do-it-yourself home remedies and guides on performing basic pest control in order to be more environmentally friendly and to save money. In fact, an online search for “ how to get rid of rats” or “home-made bed bug repellent” will give you pages of results. Here at Archers Pest Control, we are committed to making sure that you and your home will not experience any pest related issues. For more than 30 years our professional pest control experts have been providing pest control services in London and today they will share with you how to keep your London home rodent-free.

We will look at how rats, mice, squirrels, insects, foxes and pigeons get into your home, the damage they cause and the health risk they pose.

Part 1 - How To Keep Your Property Rodent Free

The most common rodents in the home
As the weather gets cold one of the most common pest problems home and property owners have to deal with is rodents. Rats, mice and squirrels don't want to be out in the cold any more than humans do. These pests will use their teeth to chew their way through your home. Rats and mice are very flexible and can squeeze their bodies to get into any crack or gap to get inside. Once they are inside they will start to breed which will result in a full infestation soon.

What are the most common rodents that our Archers Pest Control specialists deal with in the home?
We explore the most common rodents so you can spot them and know what you are dealing with, too. Our pest control team are experts in finding where and how rodents are getting inside and where are their hiding spots.

Domestic Mice
Domestic mice are one of the most common species of rodent that can be found in the home. As a matter of fact, this is the number one rodent pest in the world. It can be found in nearly every single part of the world except Antarctica. The domestic mouse has a pointed nose, short hair and large ears. An adult domestic mouse can grow up to 7 inches in length including the tail. The fur colour is brown or greyish-black.
Behaviour
Domestic mice prefer to stick close to the walls they are nearsighted. That is the reason why you can see dirty smudges low on the walls. This is also a sign that you may have a mice infestation in your property. Domestic mice are very good climbers. They can climb up walls, wires, pipes and can jump up to a foot in height and safely land after jumping from as high as 8 feet up. These pests are most likely to be found in dark areas where they can hide. Usually, they are building nests using paper and insulation. They can use other soft materials as well. In fact, sometimes multiple mouse families can share nesting areas. Domestic mice often leave a lot of droppings around, which is another common sign your property might be infested. You can find their droppings behind places like refrigerators and stoves. The droppings are between 3 and 6 mm in length and with pointed ends.
How Do Mice Get Inside Homes?
Domestic mice can gain access to your home through gaps, cracks and holes found in walls, floors and foundations. They can also enter through gaps in windows, doors and ceilings or even sewer lines. If drainage pipes are not sealed properly, domestic mice can enter homes through sinks or bathtub drains. Often our pest control experts are finding mice entry points around plumbing and gas lines as well.
Damage
It may sound overdramatic saying a mouse can burn your house down, but they actually are able to do so. Mice love chewing on electric wires and when they are in your walls and attic - you better believe they are chewing them. They are constantly chewing to keep their teeth short as well as to gain access. Mice can also chew on water or gas pipes, soft concrete, rubber, plastic, insulation, wood and aluminium.
Health Risk
Domestic mice are known to spread different pathogens and diseases such as salmonella, hantavirus and leptospirosis which can be very dangerous for human health.

Norway Rats
Even if the Norway rats are not from Norway, they get their name from where they were first indicated and classified by people who do that job for a living. Norway rats are big,  with brown or gray fur, their tail is bi-colour, small eyes and tiny ears. Norway rats have large teeth which grow all the time. In order to prevent this from becoming an issue for the rats, they have to chew on things.  For many London home-owners, this could be bad news because this can include the sides of their property. Norway rats can chew through thin metal, stone, soft concrete, wood and plastic.
Behaviour
Norway rats are also very flexible and can squeeze their bodies into the tiniest of spaces. They also love to dig burrows to find shelter, make a nest, give birth and to store food. Usually, their diet includes meat, fish and even dry dog or cat food. Storing your food away will not help you if your house is infested, because they can chew on everything. These creatures like to hide, but they are big and hard to miss when they are out of their hiding spots. One of the signs of Norway rat infestation is seeing them running around. Even if they can run fast you will be able to see them. Norway rats will leave a lot of droppings around too. As a matter of fact, they will leave droppings, approximately 20mm long. You can find their droppings all over the kitchens, inside cupboards and anywhere the rats might be hiding.
How Do Norway Rats Get Inside?
Norway rats can gain access to your home by digging holes. Older buildings with poor construction are at high risk of rat infestation.
Damage
Rats tend to gnaw on wood, plastic and metal materials. They can easily damage your floor, skirting boards and walls. Rats can also damage your attic and the electric wires, gas and water pipes.
Health Risk
Norway rats can carry different diseases that can transfer to humans through their urine and droppings.

Roof Rats
If you are able to hear scampering feet above your head in your home, it might be squirrels but also it might be roof rats. As you can tell by their name, roof rats are excellent climbers. These rodents prefer to be high and can climb trees, pipes and trellis wires. These pests will use their paws and teeth to gain access into attics and spaces between walls to find a warm shelter and a place to live and breed. Sometimes roof rats can be found in basements and sewers, too.
Behaviour
Roof rats have brown or black fur but their stomachs are lighter- almost white. Like other rodents, roof rats can eat almost everything, including anything left in the waste bins, on counters, rotten fruits and vegetables. Roof rats are glutton. They can eat a lot of food, then sleep it off or will store the food as fat. They can return to the same spot where they found food supplies the last time over and over again. To determine if your home is infested with roof rats you need to look for telltale droppings. You can find droppings behind appliances, but also do not forget to check the attic and the basement. Their droppings are usually 12.5mm long.
How Do Roof Rats Get Inside?
Roof rats just like the Norway rats can squeeze their bodies through very small gaps and holes. And because they prefer to be high, they can also climb on power lines and trees.
Damage
Roof rats love to chew wire cables, gas and water pipes which can cause huge damage to your property. They can also rip off insulation and foundation.
Health Risk
Roof rats can spread diseases such as salmonellosis through pantry foods contaminated with their droppings and urine. They can also infest your home with fleas and other small parasites.

Grey Squirrels
Grey squirrels are highly adaptive to any environment and now they outnumber the red squirrels. In fact, the grey squirrel has pushed the UK`s red squirrel near to extinction, in under a century. Many people consider grey squirrels as very sweet and innocent creatures but the fact is if they gain access to your attic they can cause huge damage.
Behaviour
Grey squirrels as their name suggests are predominantly grey. They prefer to spend more time feeding on the ground than the red squirrels. Their diet includes seeds, fruits, fungi and roots. Grey squirrels are active during the day time - searching for food. Sometimes grey squirrels can use attics for a shelter and to build their nest during the cold months. Such as rats and mice, squirrels also need to chew constantly to keep their teeth sharp. If squirrels invade your attic they might chew the insulation and the wires to maintain their teeth. Squirrel droppings are a sure sign your attic is infested. Look for scattered droppings in and around your attic and roof.
How Squirrels Get Inside?
Squirrels can take advantage of any gaps and holes in your property. Commonly, they are using their teeth to gnaw to enter the attic and they can also gnaw window frames to enter the property.
Damage
Squirrels can be very annoying pests to deal with. Once they have found a way into your attic and have built a nest, it is extremely hard to remove them. Squirrels are well known to chew electric wires. Aside from the cost of repairing the damage, the exposed wirings also can create a risk of fire.
Health Risk
Many kinds of researches show that grey squirrels can carry many bacterias and diseases. They also carry different parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites.

Rodent Proofing Methods Recommended From The Professionals
A good method to prevent and control rodents such as rats and mice is to make it impossible for them to gain access to your property. Keep in mind this is not an easy task, without professional advice, as the following information must be taken into account before attempting to make the proofing recommendations.

The London rodent exterminators from Archers Pest Control advise to check and seal all openings around pipes and utility lines. Make sure you check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks where pipes enter the walls,  air-conditioning units, behind washing machines, and refrigerators,  under kitchen cupboards and also check for broken windows and vents. All vents need to be covered with metal grillwork that is rust-resistant and don't forget the obvious gaps under the doors. These are the most common ways for rodents to enter your premises.

Squirrel Proofing Methods
Any squirrel proofing should be done after the present family of squirrels has been removed. If done before that the squirrels will cause more damage trying to get back into their nest. It is a lot easier to keep squirrels out of your attic than to remove them once they get there. Check the exterior and interior of your property for visible entry points and gaps. Use animal-resistant materials such as wire mesh and expanding foam to block the gaps. This will prevent squirrels from coming back. Apply seals around electrical wires and plumbing fixtures.  It is also recommended to put a chimney cap or wire mesh over your chimney. Measure the perimeter of the top of your chimney. Clean the top of your chimney cap to remove any broken or destroyed digging. Then fit the chimney cap or mesh in place. Keep in mind that in the United Kingdom there are regulations and rules for how chimney caps are installed. Once it is ready you need to call an inspector to make sure everything is installed correctly. For this reason, it is better to hire a professional rodent control company to do it.