Keeping Your Home Rodent-Free In Winter Season
Nobody wants a rodent infestation in their homes any time of the year. However, mice can be specifically a problem during the winter season. Similar to humans, they also seek a warm place to spend the cold months. Unfortunately, for you, this safe place for them could be your home. Relying on mice control Surrey BC services will be your only option if the problem isn’t identified and tackled at the right time.
Why Mice in Your Home are Dangerous?
Mice carry dangerous diseases. If you get an infestation in your home, you can be at risk of catching these diseases. The rodents can also be a cause of allergies due to urine and droppings left behind. The allergens coming from mice are also a known cause for asthma in both adults and children.
Since mice seek a warm shelter and source of food in winter, they will also contaminate your food. They can easily bite through some food containers. Additionally, they can chew through wood, cardboard, insulation, particleboard, and wires, which mean they can damage the house.
Detecting Mice in the House
The most common sign that there are mice in your house is finding their droppings. The rodents leave these droppings wherever they go. These are around the size of a broken pencil tip. In case, there are baby mice around, the droppings can be as small as poppy seeds. At times, when there is a large rodent infestation in the house, you may also find areas stained or smelling like urine.
You may also find chewed up insulation around your house. Similarly, you may detect evidence of chewing on items like boxes, clothing, plastic containers, etc. You might come across their nests that are made of materials like shredded paper.
When your house is quiet, for example at night, you can hear the mice running inside the walls or cabinets. The soft scratching can be annoying, and at times, scary.
Keeping the Mice Away
To prevent the risk of diseases and house damage, you can take a few steps to keep the mice away. Here is how:
Sealing Entry Points
Mice do not need a large space to enter your house. They can squeeze through tiny gaps. So if you think the house does not have possible entry points, think again. Ensure that your house is clear of any openings that might give access to the mice. A rule of thumb is to look for openings larger than one-fourth of an inch (1/4 inch) and seal these properly.
Check the points where the pipes enter your house. Fill any gaps here with mesh and caulk. Similarly, fill cracks in the walls or foundation with wire mesh. Repair damaged window screens and gaps between the windows and walls. If you have a chimney, install a cap.
Storing Food Properly
All eatables in the house should be stored appropriately. Keep your food items, along with pet food, in sealed containers where the mice cannot have easy access. Moreover, clean areas where food is eaten, handled, stored, and cooked so there are no crumbs to attract the rodents. Similarly, your trash cans should not be accessible to mice.
Get Rid of Clutter
An abundance of clutter in the house will give mice a place to hide or keep warm during the winter season. Take some time to tidy up and organise the house. For example, get rid of stacks of newspapers, do not leave piles of laundry around the house, keep stored items elevated off the ground, etc.
Install Brush Strip
Exterior doors, especially the older ones, have gaps at the base large enough to allow mice into the house. To resolve this issue, install a sweep or brush strip. Another benefit of this installation is the prevention of heat loss during the cold months – helping you save on your utility bill.
Landscaping
Similar to decluttering the indoors, you should conduct maintenance of the exteriors. Landscape the yard to remove weeds, overgrown vegetation, and fallen leaves to provide fewer hiding places to the mice. Additionally, trim any tree branches hanging close to your house so mice do not have access to your interiors through the attic or roof.
Taking the above-mentioned steps before the harsh cold sets in, and conducting regular maintenance, can save you the hassle of dealing with mice inside your home. If you are worried that your house has a serious rodent infestation, you can always use local pest exterminators in surrey for a permanent solution.