Keep rodents out before they move into your commercial buildings!
Fall isn’t just back-to-school season, it’s also prime time for pest control. As temperatures drop, rats, mice, squirrels, and field mice start searching for a cozy winter hideout. And rodents see our homes, commercial and industrial buildings and condos as prime real estate for the perfect winter getaway.
It doesn’t take a gaping hole for them to sneak in. A mouse only needs a dime-sized gap to invade your space and disrupt your operations. Here’s how to keep them out.
Whether downtown or out of town, rodents find a way in
Whether it’s a downtown office, an industrial warehouse, or a rural condo, no building is safe from rodents. Here’s the kicker: city rats tend to be larger than their country cousins. Just one more reason to keep them out!
Here’s how to spot them in your building
Rodents may be sneaky, but they leave behind telltale signs:
- Bite marks
- Droppings
- Tracks along walls
- Holes near entry points
- Unusual smells
- Scratching noises
Their favourite hiding spots? Rodents love cozy spots and insulation materials, as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning ducts, which are perfect for nesting out of sight.
Storing equipment outside? Keep an eye out for squirrels, rats, and field mice that can turn your equipment into cozy homes.
Unwanted guests that threaten your bottom line
Rodents aren’t just a nuisance, they’re a serious business risk. Rodents sneak in quietly, but the fallout can be huge for your business.
Material damage
Rodents can chew through almost anything:
- Interior finishes
- Electrical cables
- Insulation material
- Furniture
- Merchandise, especially if it’s not properly stored
Damage to reputation
Finding rodents in offices, stores, or restaurants is enough to shake confidence and raise doubts about your business’s cleanliness. In condos, it undermines management’s credibility.
Health and safety risks
Beyond property damage and image issues, rodents pose a real threat to employees, customers and visitors. Rats, in particular, are known carriers of bacteria and diseases that can be spread to humans.
Damage not covered by insurance
Damage caused by pests, especially rodents and vermin, is usually not covered under insurance policies. Costs of infestation? They’re on you. That’s why prevention matters.
Prevent rodent infestation
- Seal entry points where mice, rats or squirrels could sneak in.
- Inspect your property regularly for signs of intrusion before it becomes a problem.
- Create a rodent control plan tailored to your building. Apply repellents in high-risk areas to keep pests away. Call pest management experts when prevention isn’t enough.
- Place traps strategically at a safe distance from your property.
- Secure your waste in airtight steel containers. Keep food and scraps away from your premises because no one wants unexpected four-legged tenants. Rodent infestations are unpleasant, cost more than you think, excluded from most commercial insurance policies, and extremely stressful.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old saying goes. Stay proactive and keep those four-legged intruders out.
Published on December 23, 2025