Mice are getting into your home through small openings at every level of the structure. Common entry points include gaps under doors, settling cracks in the foundation, spots where pipes and wires pass through walls, dryer and exhaust ports, roof and gable vents, chimney flues, and seams along rooflines and soffits.
If you’ve found rodent droppings in a drawer or heard scratching in the walls, you might wonder: how are they getting in here in the first place? The truth is that no home is truly sealed against rodents. It can’t possibly be because fully grown mice can get into holes that are only the size of a dime. They’re always looking for openings because, in the winter, they need a warm place to stay that has access to food. Your home is a good place to be.
It helps to start with where you see the most obvious signs of rodent activity. Mice don’t often go far from their entrance. Kitchen-area activity often points toward gaps in exterior doors or settling cracks in the foundation. Rodents in the garage often get in there by slipping under the garage door or sometimes by going through the openings around where plumbing, gas lines, and cables pass through walls. If they’re in your attic, they are most likely scaling the exterior of your home and getting in through vents or gaps up near the roofline.
Seasonal properties often deal with rodents to a greater degree than continuously occupied homes. After all, a house that sits quiet for weeks gives mice plenty of uninterrupted time to get established. A single breeding pair can turn into dozens within a season.
If you have a rodent infestation, a professional can help. They help find the entry points and seal them. Then they’ll lay traps and use bait stations to clear the current population. Once the infestation is managed, you can expect annual inspections from there to make sure gaps stay sealed and that rodents aren’t still getting inside.
If you suspect rodents are moving into your home, Mosquito Squad of New Hampshire Lakes can help. Mosquito Squad figures out how they’re getting into your home and then seals the entry points. After doing that, the existing population is cleared and annual inspections follow as part of the Complete Home & Yard coverage.
