By Darren Van Steenwyk, BCE
From the August 2024 Issue
Definitive signs of fall include leaves turning colors and temperatures trending cooler, but fall also brings an increased threat of rodents seeking to gain access to commercial properties in search of food and shelter.
How real is the rodent threat to commercial properties? A recent survey in Pest Control Technology magazine found that 60% of pest management professionals nationally reported increases in rodent infestations in 2023. The survey also revealed the fall and winter are the most active times when it comes to rodents accessing structures. Why is this?
Rodents, like humans, are not fans of colder winter temperatures and — depending on where you are in the country— snow and ice. They want a warm spot, with easy access to food, to spend the winter and that can include your commercial property.
Having rodents in your facility is more than just an ick factor — it can put people, property and food at risk. It can result in disgruntled tenants/residents, lost revenue from the loss of tenants/customers, additional expenses to solve the problem, damage to property and brand reputation.
It can also potentially threaten health conditions. A National Institute of Health study reported prolonged exposure to mouse allergens can negatively affect those with asthma, especially children.
A Worthy Adversary
Rodents are adaptable and creative pests that are not to underestimated. These highly intelligent creatures learn good behaviors (easy access to food) from bad (snap traps) and are persistent in their efforts to gain access to structures in search of food and shelter.
Rodents can reproduce quickly and in large numbers, especially mice, and if not dealt with promptly can quickly turn into a major headache for a property manager. Mice rarely are solo operators — if you see one there are likely more present — and will be quite content to hunker down once they find a suitable location. It is not unheard of for multiple generations of mice to live in a single location — vending machine or shipping pallet — if the necessities they need are readily accessible.
Rats live primarily outdoors and will regularly come in and out of a building in search of food or water once they identify a pathway inside. Their populations don’t explode like mice, and rats have a much longer range — up to 400 feet vs. mice 50 feet — when foraging for food.
Rodent Hot Spots
Where are rodents most likely to be found inside commercial properties? The locations can differ depending on the age, construction type, maintenance standards, and business activity taking place at the facility, but the common denominator is proximity to easily accessible food sources.
Food service areas, kitchens, break rooms, vending machines, and supply closets are the most common “hot spots” in commercial properties. Another location that universally crosses over numerous commercial properties are false ceilings. False ceilings are a common way for rodents to travel the length of buildings and room to room without being disturbed.
Manufacturing: Rodents like to hang the “do not disturb” sign and areas in a manufacturing facility that see limited usage and human traffic—storage rooms, crawlspaces, outdoor storage areas, utility sheds, piles of lumber, pipes, materials, furnace rooms, old, unused machinery—are prime areas for rodent infestations.
Offices: Rodents are usually found in and around break rooms, kitchens, vending machines, employee lockers or cubicles, and supply closets. Food and snacks that are not stored properly (i.e., in sealed containers) or the associated crumbs and food spills that are often found in these areas makes them highly attractive to mice.
Education Facilities: School properties provide rodents with abundant opportunities to access the resources needed to survive. Cafeterias, kitchens, teachers’ lounges, student lockers and loading docks are all prime rodent “hot spots.” Improperly stored food — a candy bar or crackers left in a desk — and constant in and out traffic are magnets for rodents.
Healthcare: Vending machines, cafeterias, employee locker rooms, and nurses’ stations are common “hot spots” for rodent activity in hospitals or emergency care clinics. A unique aspect of hospitals is that the lights never go off and as a result rodents can be more brazen in their behavior. As we’ve discussed earlier, rodents prefer out of the way places, but their adaptability makes them more accustomed to the 24/7 activity in a hospital and sightings may be more frequent than in other commercial properties.
Tips To Keep Rodents Out
The number one action commercial property owners and managers can do to prevent rodent issues is to take away the reason(s) why and ways they can enter a building.
Property managers and their maintenance staff often focus on the inside of a building by setting snap traps or focusing on cleaning and sanitation to resolve a rodent issue. While these efforts can achieve short-term results, they only address a symptom but not the root cause of the problem. Effective rodent prevention starts with physically denying them access to structures through good exclusion practices.
Exclusion
- Make sure exterior entry doors are not left or propped open giving rodents an easy path inside.
- Perform regular maintenance including sealing gaps and openings around utility pipes, cables, door frames or in the foundation with heavy duty rodent-proof materials. Don’t forget to check the roof. Openings around HVAC units or missing shingles can provide access.
- Carefully inspect incoming shipments for signs of rodent activity including gnawing or rodent droppings.
Stay Vigilant
- Conduct regular inspections of the facility to identify signs of rodent activity, such as droppings, gnaw marks, nesting materials or visual sightings.
- Report activity to your pest management service provider immediately for follow up action.
Maintain Landscaping and Neglected Areas
- Overgrown landscaping, brush piles, tall grass, or trees touching the roof can provide rodents with both harborage and access to structures. Instruct your maintenance or landscaping teams to regularly maintain the grounds around your building.
- Keep an eye on the neglected areas — the back of the parking lot near the dumpster, the non-street side of buildings, outdoor storage areas, utility sheds or any area where ‘stuff’ accumulates — of your property. These areas are prime harborage locations for rodents since they can live undisturbed. Don’t let pallets, boxes, old machinery accumulate in these areas.
Van Steenwyk, BCE has more than 20 years of experience in the pest management industry for Sprague Pest Solutions, a commercial-only pest control company serving the Western United States. A board-certified entomologist and former president of the California Structural Pest Control Board, Van Steenwyk works closely with clients designing pest prevention and control programs and provides technical expertise and support for Sprague’s employee training and development programs.
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