Rodents of all kinds are known for carrying and transmitting pathogens, bacteria, and parasites that can cause sickness or disease in humans. Rodents can carry several parasites at a time, such as fleas, lice, and ticks, which may contain harmful microbes of their own.
Because of their constant gnawing and the unsanitary conditions in which rodents live and feed, these pests endanger the health and welfare of those who live in and frequent an infested home. The structure of the house itself may suffer, as rodents eat away at this, also. Even worse, because pests like rodents are seen as preventable, these incurred damages are not covered by most homeowners’ insurance policies. As a result, rodents cost American homeowners billions of dollars in out-of-pocket costs to pay for repairs—or to cover moving expenses if the damage becomes so severe that a home is condemned.
If these facts aren’t troubling enough, rodents are also one of the most challenging pests for homeowners to attempt to eliminate on their own. Not only are rodents highly adaptable creatures that can scurry, hide, and remain out of sight, but they also reproduce at a fast rate, and a single female can produce up to 56 offspring a year.
Read on for more about the destruction that rodents cause to homes and structures and the health hazards rodents pose in the house.
What Kind Of Destruction Can Rodents Cause?
Due to their nesting, gnawing, and general living conditions, rodents are among the most destructive pests to encounter in homes. In searching for materials to build their nest, rodents will gnaw through just about anything, including:
- Books
- Clothing and fabric
- Wood
- Electrical wiring
- Insulation
- Piping
This is why your possessions, including the structure of your home, are indeed not safe when rodents are present. Homeowners run the risk of facing escalating expenses when faced with an infestation.
What Health Hazards Do Rodents Pose?
Not only are rodents scavengers and are often found in unsanitary, foul conditions, but they’re also unhygienic nest-builders, contaminating surrounding areas with urine, fecal matter, and other debris.
Rodents often feed on rotting, infested food sources, including items that have been discarded in the trash or large dumpsters, roadkill and other deceased and decomposing animals, and fecal matter. When they trample on and around these food sources, they are exposed to pathogens, bacteria, and parasites, which they may unknowingly pick up and bring inside your home.
When rodents scurry about searching for food and pitter-patter on top of surfaces where foods are eaten or prepared, they contaminate surfaces and cause sickness for those who live in or frequent your home.
Some of the diseases that rodents are known to transmit include:
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
- Tularemia
- Salmonella
- Hantavirus
If that’s not enough, rodent urine and feces are toxic and can cause sickness on their own. Hantavirus, or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is a respiratory disease transmitted by infected rodents’ urine, feces, and saliva. Humans can contract just by breathing in the air in their homes.
Get Rid Of Rodents Fast With Help From The Professionals
The safest and most effective way to deal with a rodent infestation is to call in the experts. With 45 years of combined experience in pest control, Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma serves the needs of Oklahoma City Metro homes and businesses, offering various service options for rodents and other pests. For advice or assistance, give us a call today.
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