Wildlife and Rodent Exclusion

Have you dealt with nuisance wildlife in your home or business? Then you know what an ordeal it can be. Fortunately, professional wildlife exclusion services from Sorko Lawn and Pest Control can help prevent the problem from happening again. Our rodent and wildlife exclusion team uses industry-best techniques to protect your property from intrusions and infestations, doing everything from sealing off access points to providing tailored recommendations for your long-term peace of mind.

Let us help prevent your next wildlife infestation – call Sorko Lawn and Pest Control now and get a free estimate on wildlife exclusion in Central Florida.

What is Wildlife Exclusion?

Exclusion is the practice of preventing pests from entering or nesting in buildings and structures. It focuses on identifying and eliminating factors that make the building accessible to wildlife in the first place. This proactive approach is ideal in the long run because it reduces the risk of potential damage, health hazards, and other nuisances associated with unwanted wildlife presence.

One example of exclusion is placing wire mesh around entry points to keep wildlife out. Other examples include:

• Attics: Conduct a thorough inspection of the attic interior and exterior to identify and seal all potential entry points, including gaps in roof sheathing, damaged ventilation fan housings, and any unscreened vents or louvers. For more information about how we can secure your attic, check out our attic exclusion page.
• Rooflines and eaves: Install chimney caps, cover all vents with mesh screening, seal gaps in the fascia and soffits, trim trees 6-8 feet away from the roof, and ensure gutters are clean and shingles are repaired.
• Exterior walls and foundation: Seal all cracks and crevices with caulk/mortar, plug larger holes around utility lines with mesh or steel wool, install hardware cloth over all foundation vents, and seal gaps where siding meets the foundation.
• Doors and windows: Ensure all exterior doors (including garage) have tight-fitting door sweeps, apply intact weatherstripping around all frames, and repair or replace any torn window or door screens.
• Garages: Apply a durable, secure, rodent-proof seal to the bottom edge of the main door, keep doors closed when not in use, and ensure the interior pass-through door is sealed and weatherstripped.
• Under decks and porches: Install solid, buried, and reinforced skirting or rigid barriers around the entire perimeter.
• Yard and landscape: Rake back mulch/ground cover at least 6 inches from the foundation, eliminate all sources of standing water, and store firewood/debris piles and trash receptacles away from the home.

Professional Exclusion Prevents a Wide Range of Common Florida Pests and Wildlife

Wildlife and rodents in Central Florida actively seek out ways to get inside structures in the pursuit of food, water, and shelter. Fortunately, with some proactive exclusion, you can stop them. 

Pests, wildlife, and rodents always seek the path of least resistance. So once they realize they can’t access your property, they’ll go somewhere else and try again.

Exclusion can stop these common Florida nuisance animals (and more):

• Rodents: Mice and rats may seek shelter indoors to escape the cooler temperatures. By implementing rodent exclusion, homeowners can not only prevent property damage but also mitigate health risks associated with rodents. 
• Raccoons: In search of food and shelter, raccoons might venture closer to residential areas during colder weather. They can carry and transmit rabies, making it essential for individuals to exercise caution and avoid direct contact to minimize the risk of infection.
• Squirrels: Squirrel exclusion takes on added importance during winter as these agile rodents may seek warmth and shelter in walls and attics. 
• Armadillos: Known for their burrowing tendencies, these armored creatures may target areas around the foundation, posing challenges for homeowners in preventing their entry and potential disruptions to the property.
• Skunks: Drawn to the warmth and potential nesting sites, these stinky nocturnal creatures can become unwelcome houseguests. 
• Opossums: Opossum exclusion is particularly crucial in winter when these opportunistic creatures may seek warmth in and around homes. 
• Bats: Bats may venture into Central Florida homes seeking shelter from the colder temperatures. These flying mammals can pose challenges ranging from noise disturbances to potential health risks associated with their droppings.

Why Is Exclusion the Smart Choice for Wildlife Control?

When facing a nuisance wildlife problem, removal is only half the battle. To truly solve the issue, you need a long-term strategy that keeps pests and rodents out for good. 

That’s why professional wildlife exclusion is the smarter, more effective choice for protecting your Central Florida property. It offers benefits that traditional pest control can’t match.

• Long-Term Solution: Exclusion provides a permanent barrier, addressing the root cause of pest issues by physically blocking entry rather than relying on repeated chemical applications.
• Reduced property damage: By keeping out rodents (rats, mice, squirrels) and nuisance wildlife (raccoons, bats), exclusion prevents structural damage from chewing, nesting, and waste contamination of insulation, wiring, and ductwork.
• Health and safety improvement: Exclusion eliminates the risk of diseases transmitted by pests (e.g., Hantavirus from rodents) and prevents fire hazards caused by pests chewing electrical wiring.
• Prevention of secondary pests: Exclusion directly limits what can come in with nuisance wildlife, such as fleas, ticks, mites, and various other parasites, which often infest the pests themselves and then infest your home.
• Cost savings: While the initial setup requires an investment, exclusion dramatically reduces the long-term expense associated with repetitive chemical treatments, continuous trap replacement, and large-scale repairs from damage or contamination.
• Environmentally friendly: Exclusion minimizes or eliminates the need for pesticides and rodenticides inside and around your home, making it a safer option for your family, pets, and the environment.

When Do You Need Exclusion Services?

Exclusion should be part of your ongoing pest control and prevention strategy – you should allocate some time to it every season. But if it’s been a while since you last paid attention to rodent and wildlife exclusion, here are some signs you should call us now:

• If you know you have a problem: Have you seen rodents or wildlife inside? Or have you dealt with one or more issues recently? Our experienced exclusion experts can get to the bottom of the problem, determining why it keeps happening, and making sure it doesn’t again.
• In the fall and winter: Central Florida has a warm climate, but it does get noticeably cooler in late fall and winter, prompting rodents and wildlife to seek shelter indoors. We deal with an influx of wildlife control requests every winter, but most of them would have been easily prevented with some professional exclusion measures.
• If it’s been a year or more since your last exclusion inspection: The conditions that attract rodents and wildlife can take shape quickly. Mice only need a hole about the size of a dime to squeeze in. So make sure you’re conducting a thorough inspection at least once per year. If it’s been longer than that, a professional exclusion expert can help you spot things you may otherwise miss.
• If you’ve been noticing suspicious signs lately: Have you been hearing unusual sounds such as scratching, scurrying, or chirping? Or seeing droppings, tracks, chewed wires, insulation, damaged furniture, droppings, or urine stains? If you have any of these, or cracks, gaps, or holes in walls or the foundation, we strongly recommend calling us for exclusion services today.

Call Central Florida’s Local Wildlife Exclusion Company

Don’t wait until a pest, rodent, or wildlife intrusion happens – exclusion is the proactive way to protect your home and family. The professional wildlife and rodent control technicians at Sorko Lawn and Pest Control have the knowledge and experience to identify potential entry points and implement effective prevention measures, allowing you to harness the power of exclusion.

See how this humane and environmentally friendly approach to managing wildlife and rodents can help protect your property. Give us a call today for a free estimate!