It might be amusing to watch the squirrels scurrying around the park, they seem so tame they’ll almost take food out of your hand, but these cute little bushy tailed creatures are actually one of five of the most common pests and can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage if they get into your house. They will chew furniture and break your precious ornaments.

Surprisingly enough, hardly any insurance policies cover vermin damage, although most insurers would cover subsequent damage if, for example, a fire was started as a result of vermin chewing through a wire. There are lots of examples of extreme damage and there’s a case where the upper story of a house collapsed because rats had chewed through the joists.

As soon as temperatures begin to fall at the beginning of winter, all sensible rodents head indoors! Mice commonly head for their favorite hiding places, under the sink and stairs and in the loft, and their number one choice appears to be around the hot water tank. Mice and rats will gnaw through cables and can cause fires, rats will gnaw through pipes and can cause flooding, so it really important that you act swiftly to get rid of these pests.

When it comes to finding a private pest controller, there are some well known and respected companies, such as Orkin, but anyone can call themselves a pest control contractor an there are no regulations or standards for the service. Standards are variable.

Prevention is the best policy.  In the home, be tidy, clean up spills quickly, deal with dirty dishes and vacuum on a regular basis. In the loft or spare room, clear out unwanted boxes, packing tissue, unwanted cuddly toys and clothes. Vermin can live and breed undisturbed in these un-used areas. Seal up holes around pipe work, it seems that mice follow pipes and wiring routes, so stop them getting in. A tip here is to use plaster or steel wool to seal up the gaps.

Moving outside, check that drain covers are in place and in good condition. Get rid of the clutter in the garden, compost leaves and remove piles of wood. Cut back tall grass and weeds. You should never compost processed food, this will attract vermin who then have a clean comfortable home ready made.

Apparently it’s very much easier to get rid of rats than mice, but better to avoid the problem in the first place.

Following are some Wichita Pest Control companies to consider:

• 1st Choice Pest Services – Termite control specialists
• Patton Termite & Pest Control
• Betts Pest Control