Monday 28 November 2011

It's Time for Londoners to Call in the Pest Control Services

If you live in London, it's around this time of year that you should begin thinking about contacting a pest control service. The most common call for pest control London comes from those who are having trouble with rats. You’ve all heard the old bit of trivia that in London one is supposedly never more than six feet from a rat. No wonder the pest control services of London have their work cut out.

The relationship between the capital and the rat is a long and fraught one. In 1665, it was rats coming off merchant ships that brought the Bubonic Plague to the city, killing 15% of the population in mere months. Nowadays, they are a common site scurrying along Tube lines or gnawing at bin bags. One of the problems that the pest control services London find is that rats are attracted to the huge quantities of food the city’s inhabitants throw out. The amount of litter dumped in Britain’s urban areas has increased four-fold in recent years. And most of that is edible. The more food there is, the more rats there are. Incidences of salmonella are on the rise and it's not hard to work out why once you recognise the link between dropping food on the street and seeing an increase in the amount of rat droppings about the place.

Even worse news for London homeowners is that it is at this time of year - as the clocks go back and the nights grow longer - that rats are increasingly likely to seek shelter in the warmth and food-filled environment of the city’s homes. As well as the serious health risks we have already discussed, rats have a propensity for gnawing - their tooth enamel is tougher than industrial diamonds - which can lead to property being damaged and electrical problems. A major signal failure on the London Underground earlier this year was thought to be the result of a single rat gnawing through a power cable. It’s a good idea to call in pest control services in London, if you want to avoid similar disruption to your daily routine. It is quite common for an entire house to need rewiring as a result of a rat infestation and it’s work that could now cost you more than ever as many insurers classify such damage as “Acts of God” and are therefore excluded under your insurance policy.

Trying to protect your house by killing any rats that get in isn't going to work. The pest control services of London recognise that London is overrun with vermin. Even concerted efforts by the city council have been unable to make a dent on their numbers. Instead, pest control services aim to prevent rats from entering your house. This largely consists of careful proofing of your house, e.g. plugging up holes or areas of damage through which rats can squeeze. Extermination has its place, of course, but not a major scale. Once your house is proofed against future invasion, a carefully managed programme of baiting can be effective in removing those vermin who have already found a way in and take up residence.

London is a busy town full of busy people. The city’s pest control services will therefore be happy to arrange an appointment with you with a specific time that suits your schedule and routine. As humans, we’re prone to be reactive rather than precautionary. In this case, however, it’s really important to make the first move. Plugging up your house now will cost a good deal less than having it completely rewired just in time for Christmas.

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