With the ability to enter buildings through gaps as small as 1cm, mice are looking to find food and build their home. This makes proofing buildings against them quite difficult, however, regular maintenance of this can keep them at bay. You can find evidence of this damage, as well as rodent tracks, nesting and droppings to determine whether your business premises or private property has a mouse problem.
Mice have been living outside during the summer where it's warm and there's plenty of food sources. As the weather starts to turn wetter and colder, mice start looking for buildings where they can scavenge enough food and build nests to see them through the winter.
Mice have been known to spread diseases, such as Listeria and Salmonella, to humans through their urine, bedding and droppings. Mice mark their territory with their urine and due to their sporadic eating habits, build nests nearer food sources, putting anyone with a mouse infestation at risk of food poisoning. As they run around, mice carry dirt and bacteria with them, transferring it to cabinets, pantries, counter tops and anywhere else they travel.
Mice can cause a lot of property damage, due to their compulsive need to gnaw to maintain their teeth at a constant length. Electric cables, water and gas pipes, woodwork and packaging may all be seriously damaged by mice - many instances of electrical fires and floods have been casued by them and so evidence of their presence may require professional mice pest control.
Commercial properties are perfect targets for mice looking for somewhere to live as they are mostly unoccupied at night and will often have plenty of food supplies available.
Not only do these rodents easily find any food left on top of worktops, they can prove to be very destructive of businesses' properties, and have been known to gnaw through wires and other materials risking the structural integrity of walls and plumbing systems. Mice chew through cables, paper and contaminate kitchen facilities. The mice also risk damage to buildings by gnawing through structures, nest building and defecation. Chewing on the insulation around electrical wire also bring risk of fire to properties.
Mice can pose a risk to staff and customers. Rodent droppings can not only transmit foodborne illness such as salmonella, but they also bring the risk of triggering allergies to workers and clients. Mice are capable of dropping up to 25,000 fecal pellets per year and an estimated 70 times each day. Therefore, mice pest control, prevention and prompt removal in case of an infestation is always key.
Land and property owners have a legal obligation under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to maintain pest control for mice and keep their premises rodent free. Or, if rodents are a possible threat to property or health they must report infestations to the local authority. Food businesses owners also have obligations to keep premises pest free under the Food Safety Act 1990.
Business owners who don’t have adequate mice pest control management procedures in place may be issued enforcement notices by Environmental Health Officers or General Enforcement Officers. If not adhered to, this can lead to fines and even a criminal record.
Using their technical methods and expertise, AJ Pest Control advise on good house keeping and proofing to prevent mice from gaining access to food in kitchen areas and sufficient pest control for mice and other rodents. Areas of your property are assessed and a suitable rodent prevention program put in place to protect not only the building but also any occupants of a home, company staff, customers or the public from any health hazards.
