How to Find Mice Entry Points
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When rodents, like rats and mice, are looking for a place to nest, they’re looking for several key factors including, building materials, food, and warmth. Homes provide easy access to these resources and rodents will find crafty ways to attain them. So it’s important to find all of the entry points rodents may use in order to keep them out of homes. Below are some common ways rodents may enter your home and what you can do to secure your property.
Windows and Doors
Rodents can gain entry to a home if windows, doors, and garages are left open for an extended period of time or if they’re poorly sealed. Installing weather stripping on your entryway door and garage door can prevent them from entering. For window sills, consider using a sealant.
Cracks and holes in walls, floors, and foundations
Rats and mice have a body shape that allows them to squeeze into holes and spaces much smaller than they may appear to. In fact, rats can squeeze through an opening as small as a ½ inch, while a mouse can wiggle its way through a hole only a ¼ inch in size. Ensure every hole in the home is sealed with silicone caulk or sealing foam.
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Poorly Sealed Drainage Pipes
Rats are good swimmers, they’ve been known to even enter homes through toilet bowls and other drains. Holes around pipes can be sealed using mortar or concrete.
Roof Vents, Chimneys, and Heating and Air Conditioning Units
Mesh is a good way to seal off access to vents and AC/heating units that way airflow isn’t restricted. Whereas sheet metal can be used for chimneys. Mice are strong climbers, so this material around the base will make it slippery for them.
Downspouts and Gutters
These are another area you’ll want to make sure flow isn’t restricted. Install chicken wire or hardware cloth along gutters and downspouts to prevent rodents from climbing up.
Tree Branches and Other Vegetation
Vegetation not only provides good nest-building materials for rats and mice, but it provides easy access to your roof or a second-story window. Trim back tree branches and remove some vegetation near your home.
What if I Have Rodents?
If you’ve sealed all points of entry and you’re still seeing rodent activity, they may be trapped inside or an entry point may have been missed. At Antworks, our exterminators have the skills and tools needed to find where rodents are getting into your home and get rid of them for good, so contact us today for your rodent removal!
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