A 2023 study published on PubMed Central found that the reported costs of rodent infestations worldwide (from 1930 to 2022) had a conservative total of U.S. $3.6 billion. The researchers also said that of these costs, 87% were primarily due to damages.

All those stats and facts should prompt you to do everything possible to keep your home in the Seattle area rodent-free. Scheduling regular rodent inspection services is one way to achieve this goal. In this post, we’ll uncover why an inspection is one of the first steps to preventing rodent infestation. 

Prevention Is Always Better Than Cure

Rodents reproduce quickly. As pointed out by Britannica, a brown rat’s litter can consist of up to 22 babies or “pups.” The house mouse can also give birth to up to 14 litters yearly.

With their quick and immense reproduction abilities, it’s easy to see how a home can become infested with dozens, even hundreds of rodents. Despite this, their presence often goes unnoticed because they typically stay hidden and prefer undisturbed areas of a structure. They usually only come out at night when there’s a lower risk of encountering humans to seek food and nesting materials.

For those reasons, many Seattle area homeowners only discover rodent infestations once the pests have done extensive damage.

Prevent that from happening to your property by investing in a home inspection for rodents. If you partner with Eastside Exterminators, our pest control services can help prevent rodent infestation through our well-developed four-step process. The first of these four steps involves a comprehensive inspection and trap placement.

Here’s a quick look into what goes on during our inspection phase.

Careful Examination

Our highly trained rodent removal experts will thoroughly inspect your home from inside to out. They’ll look for all existing entryways and potential spots that rodents can use to gain entry to your house. Depending on your property’s structure, the areas of inspection include the following:

• Roof
• Attic
• Crawl space
• Garage
• Basement
• Perimeter
• Under decks
• Interior

The duration of the inspection will depend on the size of your home. If it’s under 5,000 feet, it may take around three hours.

Trap Placement

Rat and mouse traps effectively capture individual rodents, making them ideal tools for determining whether you have an existing infestation. They’re also crucial in controlling and exterminating these gnawing, damaging pests.

As part of Eastside Exterminator’s rodent inspection services, our experts will set traps in and around your property.

Detailing and Mapping Findings

We’re transparent in every part of our process, which is why during the inspection, we’ll:

• Take pictures and videos of every entry, exit point, and rodent damage in your house
• Write detailed notes of our findings and expert recommendations
• Create a complete map that diagrams the issues and shows a rodent protection plan

After that, we’ll show you and review all of our findings. We’ll then discuss solutions tailored and most appropriate to your specific case. 

Follow-Up Inspections

After the sealing and repair, one of Eastside Exterminator’s inspectors will re-visit your home for follow-up inspections. They’ll examine all the previously sealed and repaired areas and check for new entry and exit points. They’ll also remove critters caught in the traps and set up your rodent protection system based on your home’s layout.

Home Clean-Up and Sanitation

The fourth and final step in Eastside Exterminator’s full-service rodent control process is the clean-up and sanitation following the eviction of rats and mice from your home. We have a team of highly skilled and educated sanitation experts who will perform this task. They will remove all materials contaminated by rats or mice, including damaged insulation.

Our sanitation team will also clean your crawl space or attic and look for new signs of rodent presence, such as feces and nests. The clean-up involves removing damaged materials and sanitizing and deodorizing the affected areas. We’ll also reinstall quality, up-to-code insulation materials so your home will be in better condition than when we first conducted our initial inspection.

Minimize and Prevent Further Damage and Health Risks

According to the U.S. EPA, rodents cause significant damage to properties around the U.S. and may also spread diseases that could be a severe risk to public health. They can transmit these diseases through bite wounds and contaminating food and water supplies. They can also be vectors or hosts to other infectious disease-carrying critters, such as fleas, mites, and ticks.

So, don’t wait for rodents to endanger your family. By scheduling regular pest inspection and control services, you can prevent these pests from reproducing, damaging your property, and posing many health and safety risks. 

Schedule Your Rodent Inspection Today

Remember: Rats and mice are experts at staying hidden, causing property damage, and posing health risks. However, you can stop them from doing so with regular rodent inspection and pest control services. 

If you’re ready to safeguard your home and family from rodent-related risks, Eastside Exterminators is here to help. Our licensed, highly trained, and friendly team of pest management experts has been protecting Seattle area families from pests for over 50 years since 1969.

Call us today to learn how we can help and request your free pest control estimate!