Mobile homes are a cozy alternative to traditional housing — and unfortunately, there are plenty of critters who agree. The enclosed spaces beneath the floorboards and the maze of pipes within the walls make the perfect home for mice, rats, spiders, snakes, and all sorts of hairy, scaly, or leggy creatures. This month, we look at the ins and outs of critter management — ensuring your only dependents are those listed on your tax return.
Where Do Critters Take Up Residence?
To properly protect your home, you need to know the most popular spots for critters to settle down. You’ve probably already considered rodents in your walls, spiders lurking in corners, or raccoons in the old tree in your yard, but the dangers don’t stop there. In fact, one of the most popular spots to live in your mobile home — at least, according to invading pests — is beneath it. Spiders, snakes, rodents, raccoons, and other critters can make their way to your foundation and live just beneath your feet. From here, they can work their way inward, invading your home from every angle.
The Dangers of Mobile Home Pests
Having an infestation in your mobile home can affect a lot more than your peace of mind. Invading critters bring a host of other dangers, including the threat of physical harm through bites or stings, diseases from microbes on their bodies, food contamination, rabies via infected saliva, and potential allergens. Rodents, termites, bees, and large animals such as possums can also damage your home itself, costing you thousands in cleaning and repair fees.
How to Keep Your Home Critter-Free
Now that you know the dangers an infestation can pose to you and your home, you may be tempted to grab the pesticide whenever you see a spider spinning a web on the windowsill. If that’s the case, here are a few simple steps you can take to keep your mobile home critter-free:
Check for Damage
Critters can easily get inside your home through cracks and holes in the walls, roofing, or skirting. Skirting in particular is an easy access point for snakes, spiders, and rodents — if it’s not correctly installed, that is. Make sure your skirting is properly secured. You can even install rodent-proof mobile home skirting made of vinyl, tin, plywood, or other tough materials. As for your walls and roof, make sure to patch any cracks or holes you find with the appropriate sealant.
Keep Your Home Sealed
This may go without saying, but leaving your mobile home’s windows and doors open is a surefire way to let critters inside. Make sure your door is fitted properly in the frame and doesn’t have large gaps beneath it. If you want to keep your windows open, consider fitting them with screens to keep out insects.
Fill Holes
If you find any abandoned burrows on your property, fill them in. Even if there isn’t an animal living in it currently, leaving it open is practically inviting one to make its home in your backyard.
Secure Your Trash
Bears aren’t the only animals hunting for a picnic. Unsecured trash will draw every critter close enough to smell the potential food source inside. Keep your trash in a study trash can and make sure the lid is secured at all times.
Use Repellents
If you want to go the extra mile, you can use pest deterrents such as mothballs or special repellent sprays. Applying these to your property can keep the critters away before they ever get settled. If you don’t want to spray your house with chemicals, there are natural options as well, such as cayenne pepper. Be sure to thoroughly research any repellents you use for potential threats and side effects. Always use as directed, as well — overusing them may actually hurt your efforts, not to mention pose a hazard to your health.
What If The Animal is Already There?
If you already have critters living in or on your property and repellents aren’t keeping them away, you have two options:
DIY Critter Control
In some cases, it’s possible to eliminate a pest problem on your own. There are a wide variety of commercially available insect and animal traps; just set these up around your home and wait for the critters to spring them. Note that, in these cases, you should always strive for traps that either capture the creature alive or kill it as quickly and humanely as possible.
Leave it to the Professionals
Unfortunately, DIY traps are only helpful for smaller infestations — and smaller critters. If you have an army of rats chewing through your walls or a family of raccoons making a home beneath your floors, it’s time to contact a professional exterminator. Not only is it safer, it increases the chance of the infestation being a one-time issue.
Secure Your Mobile Home with Star Mobile
No one wants to add critter management to their already long list of responsibilities.. Your mobile home should be solid, safe, and secure, which is why Star Mobile provides the highest quality parts to mobile home owners. If you need quality parts for your home repairs, or have a service question you need answered, contact Star Mobile today and keep your home secure.
