Yes. A damaged or poorly fitted garage door seal can create exactly the kind of small opening a mouse can use.
When it comes time to think about rodents, it’s easy to forget about garage doors. At eye level, they can look like they’re closing properly even when they’re not at ground level. Mice can squeeze through openings around 1/4 inch wide, so even a small gap is enough to let them in.
There are many ways garage door seals can develop gaps large enough to let rodents in. Weatherstripping becomes brittle or torn. Rubber seals flatten with age. Concrete settles. Door corners may no longer meet the threshold evenly. Any of this can be enough.
Fall makes those small openings even more important because garages give rodents a chance to get out of the cold, which they desperately need. Once a mouse gets into the garage, it may find bird seed, pet food, grass seed, cardboard, fabric, stored belongings, or other useful materials. The garage can also become an intermediate step between outdoors and the living portion of the house.
To reduce the odds of this happening to you, start by inspecting the entire bottom edge of the garage door while it’s closed. Pay extra attention to corners. If you see daylight, rodents can probably get through. Be sure to check the side seals and framing as well.
While replacing worn weatherstripping is helpful, your garage door must also align properly with the ground. If an uneven threshold creates a persistent gap, installing new rubber seals will not solve the actual problem. Once you secure the exterior, routinely check the interior space. Finding shredded nesting material or discovering disturbed pet food usually indicates that rodents are already inside.
If mice are active around or getting into your Grand Rapids property, Mosquito Squad of Grand Rapids can help identify rodent activity and determine an appropriate control approach. Call (616) 920-8069 or request a free quote online.
