Find and seal the gaps rodents use to get in, and use traps and bait stations for the ones already inside. Then keep an eye on the problem so it doesn’t come back again.
No home is truly sealed from rodents. You likely did not want to hear that, but it’s true. Time, weather, and ordinary settling open small gaps constantly and rodents are very good at finding them. Full-grown mice can fit through holes the size of a dime. Rats can chew through wood, soft metals, and even concrete in the right conditions. And New England has temperature swings that send rodents looking for the gentler climates of the great indoors.
To keep rodents out, you need to do three things at once. First is exclusion, and that means finding the places where rodents can get in and blocking them. That includes places like gaps under doors, settling cracks in the foundation, hairline openings along window trim, seams at the roofline and soffits, chimney flues, dryer and exhaust ports, roof and gable vents, and every spot where pipes, wires, and cables pass through walls. Each needs to be sealed with chew-proof materials. Professionals can do this.
Then comes removal. This is exactly what it sounds like. Traps and bait stations are placed to draw out rodents so the existing population can be cleared.
Once entry points are blocked and the existing population is dealt with, you can’t consider the problem solved. You need to keep an eye on the problem. Rodents come from outside and it’s not a one-time problem. Annual inspections re-check all the areas where rodents used to get in and seal up any new ones that show up. This is how you can keep rodent populations from spiraling indoors again. It’s worth the ongoing effort, after all, because rodents are known to carry over 200 pathogens and chew through wiring and insulation.
If you suspect you have a rodent problem, Mosquito Squad of Boston Metro South can help. Mosquito Squad pairs bait stations and traps with exclusion services and annual inspections. The Complete Home & Yard plan includes monthly rodent protection to help keep them out year-round.
