The air is quickly becoming more frigid as winter races towards us and the trees start losing their leaves. What could be better than cozying up to a warm fire with a mug of pumpkin spice coffee and a good book? It’s the perfect weather to let your kids out to jump tirelessly into giant piles of leaves, but as the temperatures decrease, the odds of a mouse infestation increase.
Mice commonly choose to invade homes when the environment inside becomes more favorable than the environment outside. In the late fall and winter, food, water, and warm shelter become difficult to find - meaning your home is usually the warmest shelter with a food source nearby. No matter what the reason is, you don’t want a mouse living in your home, because if you see one, it often means there are several more.
Once within your walls, floor, or attic, mice can cause a lot of damage. A mouse’s front incisors never stop growing, and it is for this reason that they must chew on anything they can find to wear those teeth down. This means they will chew on the wood in your walls, your furniture, books, and even electrical wiring. Along with this, mice also tend to rip up mattresses, clothing, and insulation to use as nesting material.
There are, however, some common similarities in the areas mice tend to break into. Because mice are so small, they can fit through any space the size of a nickel. You heard that correctly. A nickel. Piping is a problem area for many homeowners. The moisture that builds up can attract a mouse looking for a water source, and when they see a small place to enter your home, you can bet they won’t take much time to quickly scurry towards that warmth.
Cracks in the foundation of your home may seem too small for any creature to fit inside, but you’d be surprised at how quickly a mouse can squeeze into a space that seems entirely too small for it. Electrical wiring has to enter your home some way, and often the small holes that feed those wires into your home allow mice a point of entry as well.
If mice are so adept at getting in, how then can you prevent them from infesting your living spaces?
- Cleaning up drink spills and food crumbs is one of the most common sense things you can do to reduce how attractive your home is to a mouse. No food means no appeal.
- Another tip is to keep your trash sealed at all times. Mice love eating the things you throw out, so limiting their ability to eat will greatly reduce the attraction factor of your home.
- If you notice any cracks in your walls or foundation, getting those areas fixed is highly recommended.
- Leftover foods should be sealed in airtight containers and stored away, further preventing mice from seeing your home as a potential shelter that provides a steady food source.
When you want to keep mice out, or if you’ve already seen one inside, call Aiken Pest Control. Mice can multiply quickly, infesting your home before you realize there is a problem! With one quick phone call, you can request a free inspection to determine where mice could be getting in, and how much damage they may have already caused. We provide affordable pest control treatment plans to keep your home safe from invaders all year long and protect you from the harmful diseases that mice and other rodents can spread.