Most Common Ways Rodents Are Getting In Your House

November 10, 2020

Did you know that mice can jump a foot into the air? Did you know that they can swim? More than just excellent climbers, mice have all sorts of talents. Unfortunately, they use these talents to get into your home.

 

As the temperature begins to drop outside, rodents want to get inside your home to stay warm and cozy through the winter. Although small in size, rodents cause big problems for homeowners, including contaminating food, damaging insulation and wiring, carrying ticks and fleas and other risks to your health and home—so let’s not let them in!

 

The first step in any pest control plan is prevention. And keeping mice out before they come in is crucial. So, how are mice getting into your house? Here are the most common entry ways and what you should do to keep them out:

 

  1. Foundation: Mice will run along your foundation looking for sources of heat loss. This could be a crack in your foundation or a gap between stones. Able to fit through a hole the size of a dime, cracks don’t deter rodents. Fill any holes or gaps up with cement or caulking to ensure those entries are

 

  1. Attached Garages: Do your garage doors sit flush with the ground? Any slight crack or opening caused by the doors being uneven is a way for rodents to get in. Leaving your garage doors open for extended periods of time (yard work, anyone?) and having clutter are also invitations for rodents to move in. Tidy up your garage, fill any openings with caulk, and weather strip your garage doors to keep them

 

  1. Under Siding and Around Casings: Trim around windows and doors and where it meets the siding often contain gaps. These are perfect doors for rodents to find their way into your walls. Use mesh to fill in the holes or steel wool pads to keep those gaps

 

  1. Basements: Specifically, the door to the basement. It could be a bulkhead or simply a regular door that opens up to the outside. If there is any gap or crack, you better believe a rodents is using it to get in. Be sure to use sturdy weather stripping to seal up the doorway. 

  2. Gutters: How’s your roof looking? If there are any missing shingles or openings where your roof meets the house that’s a problem. Rodents are most likely climbing up downspouts and along gutters to find them and move in. Using chicken wire or mesh to create a barrier at the bottom of your downspout will stop them from climbing up and caulk along your eaves and soffit will solve those entries. Just be sure not to let debris clog up your downspout or you’ll have different

 

Keep an eye on these popular ways rodents find their way into homes and take the steps necessary to eliminate them as options. If mice are already established in your home, you can set traps to try to remove them after you’ve sealed everything up. However, if you have a more serious problem or an infestation, professional help will be required to remove the unwanted house guests.

 

Pine State Pest Solutions provides free estimates and affordable treatment plans for rodent control and prevention, and other pest control needs. Contact us today.

Tags: rodent control  |  rodents

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