You’re lying in bed at night, and you hear scratching above your head. Don’t ignore this strange sound—chances are you have rodents in your attic. It may not seem like a big deal to have a mouse in your house, but the truth is rodents can do significant damage to your possessions, your property, and even your health. To find out why you should seek pest control services immediately if you hear mice in your home, keep reading.
1. Health Risks
Mice may not seem that dangerous—after all, they aren’t likely to attack you. But that doesn’t mean they can’t seriously harm you, your pets, or your family. Mouse droppings are a big danger because they can carry zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted to humans.
One of the most serious health risks of having rodents in the home is hantavirus, which can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This respiratory condition can be quite serious and even fatal. It can be contracted through contact with objects or food that have been contaminated with mouse droppings. Mouse bites can also transmit this virus.
Exposure to mouse urine and droppings can also lead to the development of allergies and asthma. You can also contract salmonellosis from water and food that’s been contaminated with mouse droppings. Other health risks include tularemia, leptospirosis, and more.
2. Ectoparasites
Having mice in your home is bad enough on its own, but they can also carry in ectoparasites on their bodies, including fleas, ticks, and lice. They can transmit these ectoparasites to your pets, and once they are in your home, they can be difficult to get rid of. Not only are these pests a nuisance that can invade your home, but they can pose health risks, too. The deer tick, which many deer mice carry, can transmit Lyme disease, which can lead to many neurological problems.
3. Property Damage
You’ll never only have one or two mice in your home at a time. Mice aren’t lone creatures—they love company. The longer you wait to hire a pest control service, the more these mice will procreate, and the bigger your infestation will get. The more mice you have in your home, the greater the damage will be to your property.
Rodents are gnawing animals. They must keep chewing to shave down their teeth. And so, they will chew on everything they can get their paws on, from your pipes and electrical wires to the wooden structure holding your house together.
Mice damage can even lead to flooding and fires, which can destroy your home.
4. Soiled Attic
Rodents will leave behind dozens of feces pellets a day, everywhere they go. They’ll also leave urine all over the place. Particularly, you’re likely to have a buildup of feces and urine in your attic and in your insulation. You may need complete attic restoration services to get your attic back to the shape it was in pre-infestation.
5. Big Costs
What do you get when you combine property damage, structural damage, and attic restoration? Big costs. The longer you wait to eliminate your pest problem, the costlier the situation will get. It’s better to nip the problem in the bud as soon as you know you have mice. This will significantly reduce your costs.
Without appropriate pest control, your mouse infestation will be a never-ending problem. You get rid of one mouse, but several more will come in—that’s a fact. If you have any holes leading into your home, you’ll have more mice wandering in for food and warmth. It’s a good idea to get professional help immediately.