5 WAYS MICE ENTER YOUR HOME IN THE FALL

In the autumn there is no question about it, mice will find any means necessary to find shelter. This means that your home could be at risk of a mice infestation.

Mice are masters of finding any way in a building they can This is because they are able to squeeze through holes the size of a dime! And because cracks and holes in your foundation, windows, and roof are inevitable, nearly every home is a candidate for mice infestations.

Mice are full of diseases and they can also do extensive damage to your home:

• They can spread diseases such as hantavirus, salmonella, and listeria through their urine, droppings, saliva and nesting materials.

• Because mice breed year-round and able to produce five to ten litters per year, with an average of 6-8 babies per litter, you could have up to 60 mice gnawing at your furniture, rugs, and your walls (to name a few of their favourite treats).

• They can burn your house down, literally. They love chewing on wires to keep their teeth short and to gain access to places that the wires may be blocking. Illinois Dept of Public Health recently reported that 25% of all fires attributed to “unknown causes” in the U.S. are most likely started by rodents.

• Mice can chew through soft concrete, wood, drywall rubber, plastic pipes, insulation, aluminum and even gas lines. Expensive repairs!

5 Ways Mice Enter Your Home

1. The Roof

The roof is an easy access point for mice in house. Trees or other vegetation that hang over your home act as highways for the rodents. Mice are also able to climb vertically up the side of brick walls. While on the roof, a mouse’s access points include vents or chimneys.

Prevention: Check your roof and roof vents for holes or other damage and fix as needed. It is also recommended to keep the gutters clean and to install a chimney cap.

2. Weep Vents

You might be wondering what a weep vent is, and why you

have them. Weep vents are spaces between your bricks near your foundation, to allow water to drain through the bottom of the wall. They also ventilate air behind the wall to keep the structure dry. Unfortunately weep vents are an easy entrance for mice in house.

Prevention: Some homeowners use plastic weep vent covers, but they are easily chewed through and offer your home little protection. Eliminate or move areas away from your house that mice are drawn to such as wood piles, leaves, and other debris. This will make it more difficult for mice to gain entry.

3. Gaps

Mice will find any gap, anywhere, on the exterior of your home. Unfortunately wherever different materials meet on a home is an opportunity for a gap. The most common entry point for mice is the gap found between the bricks and soffit.

Prevention: Seal any gaps you find between the bricks and soffit, and look out for siding and foundation gaps, roof and soffit gaps and roof and fascia gaps, to prevent mice in house.

4. Utility Lines

Utility lines, just like tree branches and vegetation, are a highway for mice, leading a mouse right into or onto your home. Most utility lines that exhaust to the outside often run through exterior walls as well as air conditioners, heating, electrical and water. These all allow mice an opportunity to enter your building’s  walls. Once inside, mice will travel throughout your home using holes cut for pipes, wiring, and ducts.

Prevention: Caulk around the exterior holes where wires and pipes are entering into your home, to avoid a mice infestation.

5. Doors and Windows

The prime access point for mice are doors and windows. Doors or windows that don’t close all the way are a perfect entry point for mice looking for food and shelter.

Prevention: Keeping doors closed as well as caulk around doors and windows to prevent a mice infestation. Also, you can add weather stripping around your doors. Not only will it keep mice out, but it will increase your home’s energy efficiency.

Identifying dangers should be left to an experienced professional who knows exactly what to look for. Mice poison can be very dangerous to children and pets and it is highly recommended that a mice infestation is managed by an experienced professional at Environmental Pest Control.