Forty-five percent of rodent issues take place during the fall and winter seasons, and this should send up a warning flag to facility and property managers not to let up when it comes to their rodent prevention measures.
Winter’s cold, inclement weather can deplete a rodent’s traditional food sources and commercial structures – especially food processing, distribution or warehousing facilities – become attractive beacons for rodents in search of new sources of food and a warmer place to wait out the season.
The Sprague Pest Experts know it is far easier to prevent a rodent infestation than to eliminate one after they’ve gained access to your facility. This means developing and executing an effective rodent exclusion program starting with a thorough inspection of your facility inside and out.
The objective of the inspection is to identify structural (cracks in the foundation, missing vent screens, missing door sweeps and weather stripping) or operational deficiencies (poor sanitation practices, failure to inspect incoming shipments) that could be the root cause of a rodent infestation.
What areas of your facility should be inspected? The Sprague Pest Experts offer the following inspection “road map” that facility and property managers should follow with their maintenance or engineering staff and their pest management partner:
- Exterior Areas
- Foundation Areas
- Roof/Roofing Materials
- Ventilation and Utility Openings/Chimneys
- Exterior Landscape
- Eaves/Soffits
- Exterior Doors/Windows
- Loading Docks
- Interior Areas
- Supply rooms and furnace rooms
- Employee locker rooms, break rooms and cafeterias
- Inside machinery (motor compartments are a favorite)
- Warehouse/storage areas, especially areas where raw food ingredients are stored
- Carts on which food is transported within facility
The findings of the inspection will help determine what corrective actions are needed to fix the issue(s) and maintain a secure “rodent shield” around your facility. And in this new era of increased scrutiny from third-party auditors and government inspectors, the Sprague Pest Experts recommend that all corrective actions be documented and placed in the facility’s pest management file that can easily be shared with auditors and inspectors.