Obviously everyone wants to keep rodents away from their homes, but did you realize that rodents can also do damage to vehicles? Even if you buy the most reliable car and store it away in your garage, when rodents have access to your car, it could be at risk of damage that will not only be inconvenient but could also very expensive!
Rodents that Can Damage Your Car
Although you might just be thinking of rats and mice, when it comes to rodents that can do damage to your car, a significant number of others should be considered as well:
- Rats
- Mice
- Squirrels
- Gophers
- Raccoons
- Moles
- Skunks
If you note the presence of any of these rodents in your yard or around your property, it’s not just an infestation of your home that you need to think about. You should also be alerted to the fact that they could cause damage to your car.
Spotting Signs of Rodents
As with most pest control, one important protection against rodents damaging your car is simply being aware of the signs that critters might be present in or around your garage or home. The presence of droppings under the hood of the vehicle is a clear cut sign that rodents are scavenging around your car. In addition, if you find foreign materials under your hood, such as leaves, twigs, or pet food, then you should be aware that an uninvited guest may be making itself at home nearby.
Also see: 7 Signs of Rat Infestations in Your Home
Types of Damage Caused By Rodents
When rodents infest your car, this is certainly inconvenient. But the problem may not stop with your vehicle or garage. Certain types of rodents, especially mice and rats, will breed quickly and may begin looking for more places to invade—leaving your home at risk of an infestation which can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
It isn’t hard to imagine the types of trouble that rodents could cause if they start digging around inside your vehicle, your garage, and your home. Some of the most common ways that pests can do costly harm include:
- Chewing on electrical wiring
- Tearing out insulation to use as nest material
- Gnawing on wooden fixtures such as walls, corners, roof ledges and doors
- Chewing on (and contaminating) plastic containers that hold food products or pet food
- Gnawing on soft metals such as copper and lead
- Making a mess with their droppings (which can also spread disease)
- Filling up engine intakes or air-conditioning units with acorns or nest material
Also see: The Costly Damage Associated with Rodents in Your Home
Why Do Rodents Get Into Your Car?
Mice, rats, raccoons and all other sorts of rodents are constantly looking for shelter and food sources. For a rodent, a car seems like a perfect place to set up a home as a warm, dark, hidden place that is easily accessible to them, especially if it is stored outside. They may also see your car as a source of food or even just a toy to chew on!
How to Prevent Rodents from Causing Damage
Following these tips can help you make your vehicle a less attractive place for rodents to hang about:
- Leave Your Hood Up At Night. While this might seems like an invitation for pests to come in, it actually does the opposite. Rodents are looking for privacy and darkness so if your hood is open, the space will feel more exposed and less attractive to critters.
- Place Rat Snap Traps on the Tread of the Front 2 Tires. The favorite entry point for a rodent to your car would be coming up from under the engine, using the tires as a ladder. Setting snap traps underneath tires, filled with peanut butter or another attractive bait, gives you the opportunity to catch rodents before they can climb up into your car.
- Shine Bright Lights on the Tread of the Front Two Tires. Critters are looking for dark, hidden spaces. When you store your car in a space that has the undercarriage well lit, pests are less likely to want to crawl up the front tires and into the places where they can cause damage.
Preventing rodent infestation takes some attention and time. If you’re looking for help with prevention, or if you already have a rodent infestation that needs to be dealt with, getting in touch with a professional pest control company is your best bet.
Continue Reading: Houston Rodent Control! Tips for Rodent Proofing Your Home
For Houston pest control issues, including mice control in Houston, contact Cypress Creek Pest Control today for professional, effective and courteous solutions to all of your residential and commercial pest control needs. Plus, you can get 10% off Rodent Control right now.
