Each year the rodent activity in cities and suburbs follows various patterns tied to the needs of rats and mice – i.e. their search for food, shelter, and water and also what temperature it is at the time of year.
Summertime in August is pretty much the height of all rodent activity as food is more plentiful than any other time with outdoor eating like picnics or festivals, and the resulting trash that isn’t there in winter.
So, it’s a time when everyone, including homes and businesses, need to be doing their best ensure all openings are closed up so rats and mice are not able to find entry points. Some of the biggest entry points include:
- Pipes – as they move and giggle over time, openings are created around them and rodents can squeeze through. Filling with caulk or steel wool prevents them from entering.
- Roofs – ensure that all openings at the roof level are sealed and protected.
- Ground level – occasionally any types of openings may occur between shingles or bricks or from remodeling over time. These need to be filled for protection.
- Doorways – under doorways is one of the top entries for rats and mice, and most door sweep products cannot provide any protection as they are typically made from materials rats can chew through – wood, thin plastic, aluminum, and more. Rodents can even chew through poorly poured concrete. Only use stainless steel!
- Garage doors – garages come with seals at the bottom to protect from rodents, dust, dirt and pollen … but over time that seal wears or becomes damaged offering entry to rodents. Plus, the sides have no permanent seals so replacing the sides and top minimum with a garage door weatherstrip is critical – only if made of stainless steel.
The best way to start protecting against rodents is to use stainless steel-powered weatherstrip and door sweep products from Burrtec USA. These prevent mice and rats – as well as dust and dirt – from entering into a garage. The company also has a product for typical residential and commercial doors.
Ratshut by Burrtec is a stainless-steel spine-backed product and an essential tool for maintenance and facility managers, pest control professionals, and garage door installers. All of Burrtec’s door sweeps including Ratshut can protect from rodent infestations, as well as stop dust, dirt, and pollen.
As the leading manufacturer of door sweep solutions, Burrtec is providing quality exclusion products to PMPs and building material suppliers. It is the North American division of Burrtec Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s largest pest control producers. To learn more about Burrtec, visit our U.S. website.