Rodent Risks

Rodents pose a significant challenge for businesses worldwide, resulting in substantial damage and health risks. Whether it’s food retail, restaurants, warehouses, hospitality, or offices, an infestation can threaten operations, reputation, and the safety of both staff and customers but Rentokil Pest Control is here to help. Through our Integrated Rodent Management (IRM) programme, we provide a holistic solution to effectively and efficiently manage infestations with four key steps: Exclusion, Restriction, Treatment (Destruction), and Monitoring. By combining science-based methods with innovative solutions, IRM provides long-term protection against rodents. For more information, click here to visit our website to learn how Rentokil IRM can safeguard your business. Among these steps, implementing rodent proofing, also known as exclusion, is considered the most reliable and sustainable solution for preventing infestations, as it stops rodents from entering in the first place.

Other than that, rodent infestations also pose serious risks to both property and health. These pests can chew through wiring, insulation, plumbing, and even building structures, leading to costly repairs, fire hazards, and service disruptions. At the same time, rodents are known carriers of dangerous diseases such as Hantavirus, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis, which can spread through their droppings, urine, saliva, or bites. Implementing effective rodent proofing is therefore essential to safeguard property and protect the well-being of occupants.

Proofing Solution

Rodent proofing is a proactive measure that stops infestations before they even begin. It provides a long-lasting solution by sealing buildings against entry, closing off common access points, and restricting rodent movement. This approach is also sustainable, as it reduces the need for rodenticides and helps minimise further damaging costs.

Rodents often gain access to buildings through small and often overlooked openings. Common entry points include gaps, holes, cracks, and crevices in the structure, as well as spaces at the base of pedestrian and roller doors. They may also enter through expansion joints in floors, gaps around loading docks, and openings in external cladding. Identifying and sealing these vulnerabilities is a critical step in effective rodent proofing.

Rentokil now offers an extensive proofing range designed to cover most common rodent entry points. Read more to discover how our solutions can protect your property.

Pedestrian Door Strip and Roller Door Strip

Doors, whether pedestrian or roller shutter types, often have small gaps at the base where they meet the floor. These openings can occur due to uneven surfaces, wear and tear, or simple design gaps, creating easy entry points for rodents and other pests. Installing proper door strips is an effective way to seal these gaps and prevent infestations.

Cement, Metal Plate & Building Seal

Cement, metal plates and building seals are practical solutions for blocking rodent entry points. Cement is ideal for sealing holes and gaps in solid areas such as around cable trunking or air-conditioning pipes, making it difficult for rodents to squeeze through. For places where cement cannot be used, such as partition boards or lightweight walls, metal plates provide a strong alternative. These metal plates can be cut or bent to fit different shapes, and cone-shaped RatGuards are especially effective for securing exposed pipes. For larger structures, such as warehouses, food facilities, or retail premises, building seals can be installed inside or outside the property to close gaps between cladding and brickwork. Using the right sealing method in the right place helps remove these “rodent highways” and keeps your premises protected.

Flexi Armour Dock

Flex Armour Dock is recommended for installation at loading docks, where gaps around dock levellers often provide rodents and other pests with easy access to a facility. Closing these gaps not only prevents pest entry but also creates a barrier against dust, dirt, and debris.

Expansion

Expansion joints, which are commonly found in floors and walls, are designed to allow concrete to expand and contract with temperature changes and to prevent cracks from forming. However, these joints can also accumulate debris such as food and waste, creating potential harbourage areas for rodents and other pests. Installing expansion seals in expansion joints is to prevent rodents from chewing through these gaps and gaining access to voids within the structure.

Ground Mesh

Ground Mesh is recommended for external compounds as a discreet ground covering that prevents burrowing pests from gaining access. Rodents are natural burrowers, using underground tunnels both as safe harbourage and as potential entry routes into buildings. Their burrowing activity can also weaken retaining walls, sewers, and embankments, creating structural risks.

Protecting your property against rodents is not just about dealing with infestations after they occur but about preventing them before they start. Every gap, crack, or weakness in a building creates an opportunity for pests, and the cost of inaction can quickly outweigh the investment in prevention. With effective proofing solutions, you can safeguard your property, protect health, and maintain a safe environment for everyone inside. Contact us today, don’t wait until rodents become a problem.

For more information about Rentokil rodent proofing, click here and reach out to our experts to secure your premises with professional rodent proofing.

This content is provided by Rentokil Initial Malaysia

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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