Protecting Your Boat From Rodents: Four Things To Know
If you have a boat you use for family vacations or fishing trips, you may be concerned about keeping rodents away when the vessel is in storage. Here are a few things to consider that can protect your boat from these annoying pests:
Clean Out The Galley
Before putting your boat into storage, take time to clean out the cabinets and refrigerator. Remove all food, and vacuum any crumbs out of the carpet and in the corners of the cabinets. This prevents rodents, such as rats or mice, from feasting while your boat is not in use.
Inspect Your Wiring
Rodents can chew their way through your electrical wiring, and they can even nest in your boat's electrical system. Before you take your boat out on the water, check the wiring to see if there is any rodent-related damage. If you notice a rodent problem, contact a pest control expert to have the animals professionally removed. Using glue traps or mouse traps can lead to a mess, and there are more humane alternatives available.
Shrink-Wrap The Boat
Some marinas and storage facilities offer the option of having your boat shrink-wrapped, which can create a barrier that makes it more difficult for rodents to get into your vessel. To make this an effective option, you'll need to make sure there are no mice or rats inside prior to the shrink wrapping. Contact your local residential pest control expert to inspect the boat for signs of an existing infestation. Once your boat is wrapped, it should be placed on a rack raised off of the floor, as this will add another level of defense against pests.
Set Humane Traps
If you suspect you have an issue with rat, mice, or other rodents, you'll want to take steps to get rid of the problem before placing your vessel into storage. If you don't, you may find a much bigger problem when it's time to get the boat out of storage. Work with your pest control company to set traps and find other humane ways of getting rid of rodents. Remember that using poisons, glue traps, or other lethal options can mean that your boat will have a foul odor with many dead animals to clean up in the spring.
Consider hiring a pest control expert to inspect your boat before placing it into storage. If your boat was previously stored in your garage, you might also want the pest control company like Paffy's Pest Control to inspect your home, as the rodents may have moved into your home as well.