Why Rat Prevention Matters in South Florida:
While they are found all over the United States, in southeast Florida rodents can pose specific challenges and concerns for home and business owners alike. Simply put, the unique climate, geography, and building usage patterns down here all contribute to escalated risks from rats and other types of rodents, in ways that other parts of the country simply do not face.
For starters, the climate is warmer here than most other parts of the country and sub-tropical for many stretches of the year, which contributes to dense vegetation growth. There are swamp and wetlands areas that are inwards towards the center parts of the state, along with some more densely urbanized areas along the popular coastlines. Moisture, humidity, and seasonal storms all contribute to pest problems in their own ways.
The development patterns here are also characterized by mixed usage, with homes, condos, apartments, restaurants, and other businesses situated together and all facing pest pressures year-round, not just during the winter months. This ongoing pest pressure means home and business owners have to navigate them alongside the particular vulnerabilities of their particular buildings, and the distinct but overlapping requirements of state and local regulations.
In this blog post, we will cover 4 key considerations for keeping rats out in Florida:
- Physical Protection & Access
- Attractants & Sanitation
- Monitoring & Prevention
- Florida Legal Requirements & Obligations
Alright, let’s dive into the finer points for these key considerations.
Consideration #1: Physical Protection – How Rats Are Getting In (And How to Block Them!)
One of the most critical considerations for how to keep rats out of your home or business is to first understand how they are accessing the building in the first place.
Rats, like any other rodent, are nimble creatures that excel in climbing, digging, chewing and overall exploring. They are natural foragers and their inborn instincts are to find the means of survival wherever they are in their environment – including modern homes and businesses. It only takes a very small hole, crack, or gap in a structure for rats to exploit it and gain access into the building – no larger than ½ inch in most cases.
Common entry points for rats and other rodents include:
- Cracks or gaps in unsealed entry points like doors and windows
- Cracks in the foundation
- Gaps where utility lines enter the building
- Soffits, siding, gutters, and rooflines
- Vents and pipes from heating & cooling and plumbing systems
- Crawlspaces, attics, basements, and attached garages
Besides buildings, rats and rodents are also notorious for also taking up residence within other locations that are typically nearby and adjacent to homes and businesses, such as cars and their engines, bird feeders, outdoor sheds, garden areas, compost and brush piles, and more. While their survival needs are being met here, they might remain confined to these spots, but their sheer proximity to homes and businesses mean there’s a greater risk of further intrusion and it often becomes simply a matter of time before they move from one place to another.
In order for Florida residents to keep rats out, they first need to attend to the entry points themselves, which as mentioned – can be quite small and hard to spot! Here are some basic preventative measures homeowners and businesses can take to keep rats out:
- Inspect doors and windows for gaps within the weatherstripping and the overall framing. Install under-door sweeps as needed.
- Seal visible gaps and cracks with suitable rodent-proof materials that they cannot readily chew or dig through. This includes steel wool and metal meshing, concrete and/or stone patching, caulk, and other suitable sealants.
- Install roof rat guards on tree trunks – particularly fruiting trees – to prevent them from climbing and gaining roof or gutter access.
- Keeping vegetation – trees, bushes, flowers and foliage – maintained and well-trimmed back from rooflines.
Of course, even the most diligent homeowner or business can still miss some entry points, so DIY exclusion is not always 100% fool-proof. This is where professional pest control companies can help provide greater protection and peace of mind. From thorough inspections to full-exclusion sealing, insulation and crawlspace protection, and of course ongoing monitoring, ongoing pest control plans offer tremendous value and time-savings for Florida businesses and homeowners alike.
Consideration #2: Attractants & Sanitation – What’s Bringing Rats In?
We’ve discussed how rats and rodents are natural foragers. This means that they’re typically not very picky about their food sources. Given the opportunity, rats will feed on:
- Bird food
- Pet food
- Fallen fruit and fruiting trees
- Unsealed garbage cans
- Grease traps and bins in restaurants
- Compost piles and brush piles
- Pantry and cupboard food stores
- And more!
Besides physically preventing their access into buildings, another key consideration for keeping rats out is to remove or secure the food sources that help attract them in the first place.
In addition to food sources, rats and rodents will also need water supplies and so they also seek out moisture. Leaking hoses, broken gutters, irrigation lines, water pipes, air conditioning drip lines, and sizable enough pockets of standing water will all provide rats with the water they need to thrive.
Finally, rats and many other pests will seek out concealment, protection and shelter. Even when they can’t penetrate a building, there are other places where they can lay low and covertly nest while they continue to probe and explore. This includes the denser vegetation and foliage common to south Florida, as well as outside sheds and even brush piles. Anything that “clutters” and can get cluttered represents a potential rat nesting spot until a better home presents itself to them.
Some proactive tips for lowering or removing rat attractants include:
- Cleaning yards and outside areas from fallen fruit and lawn debris (branches, leaves, sticks, clippings) that provide places for rats to hide, feed, and nest within.
- Properly storing bird and pet food in sealed containers outside
- Securing outdoor garbage cans and their lids.
- Securing and sealing outdoor sheds and bins
- Attending to and fixing leaks in a timely manner
For homeowners, they need to be mindful of their indoor and outdoor food storage and their outdoor waste storage. For businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores and warehouses, they must maintain even stricter waste management and overall sanitation protocols. And for all Florida residents, they must be diligent after storms and during peak fruiting seasons, as these are the times when the already omnipresent rodent pressures will only increase further.
By knowing what attracts the rodents and meets their survival needs, along with when the pressures are the highest, Florida residents can best keep rats out, where they belong.
Consideration #3: Monitoring & Prevention – Taking Proactive vs Reactive Approaches
Once a Florida home or business owner has attended to the first two key considerations, a third critical consideration is ongoing monitoring and prevention. Remember, the pressures from rat and rodent populations never really cease in southeast Florida due to its unique climate, geography, and mixed building usage and zoning patterns. Just because you are rat free today doesn’t mean you won’t experience issues down the road. A dedicated monitoring and prevention program is a critical third plank to keeping rats and rodents out.
At a practical level, this means regular, periodic and thorough physical inspections throughout the year, and particularly the times of year described above that further exacerbate the threats posed by rats. Check the common entry and/or hiding spots like:
- Windows and doors and framing
- Building foundations and crawl spaces,
- Building exteriors and fascia like siding, soffits, and eaves
- Overall gutterlines, rooflines, and attic spaces
- Utility line entrances,
- Outdoor sheds and garages
- Outdoor landscaping and vegetation
There are a few common signs of rodent activity that you should be specifically looking for. This includes signs such as:
- Rodent droppings
- Claw and chew marks on building exteriors, interior surfaces, and food supplies
- Gnawing on wiring (particularly car and vehicle wiring)
- Disturbed or strewn trash piles
- Grease rub marks (for restaurants in particular)
By thoroughly inspecting buildings and their outdoor surroundings, a more prevention based approach is taken, which is more effective and actually cheaper than purely reactive strategies. Implement the measures already described earlier to control physical access to buildings and strongly consider even more proactive measures such as bait trap stations and/or motion-sensing for trash bins and other key sanitation areas.
And of course, whenever in doubt, it never hurts to consult a professional. Rats can reproduce very quickly, so what starts out as a small issue can become a bigger problem in little time. Professional exclusion and monitoring services are the best long-term and thorough solution for keeping rats and other rodents out. Here at Nozzle Nolen, we have decades of experience in integrated pest management techniques for commercial and multi-property business environments, as well as residential plans.
Consideration #4: Florida Legal Requirements and Obligations
The fourth and final key consideration here involves the unique legal requirements and obligations posed by Florida’s state and local regulations. For example, the basic Florida state laws and regulations for sanitation require all individuals and business owners to prevent “sanitary nuisances…by which disease may be caused.” Rodents are known vectors of disease transmission, so basic rodent control measures are strongly suggested if not required by that broad sanitation requirement. At a more local level, cities like West Palm Beach have pest control related ordinances and requirements that place on property owners the responsibility for the “extermination of any insects, rodents, or other pests therein”. For rental properties in particular, there are additional pest-related statutes for landlords, including the “extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs”. The more units a property manager is responsible for, the greater the overall obligations for ongoing pest control and prevention.
If left unresolved, rat or other pest issues may violate lease agreements and overall health standards required by state and local authorities. They can also lead to specific consequences like:
- Code violations
- Fines and hefty re-inspection fees
- Forced business closures
- Lawsuits and legal actions
That’s a lot of obligations placed on home and business owners in Florida, and as such, professional pest control solutions are one of the safest and surest ways to ensure compliance with state and local regulations, and keep residents and customers alike safe and protected.
Don’t Leave Rat Control To Chance:
The unique climate, geography, and mixed building usage in south Florida presents unique challenges and pressures from rats and other pest populations. If you suspect or see clear signs of rodent activity, take immediate action before the problems compound. You can visit our website to learn more about Nozzle Nolen’s residential rat and rodent control programs and schedule an initial inspection and consultation today. For additional reading, you can also check out our Ultimate Florida Rat Guide to learn more information.
