While the mice you see in cartoons might be cute and friendly, the real things aren’t anything like that. Wild mice, in particular, are major pests that can create significant issues in a home or building they invade, and preventing them is vital.
At A-1 Exterminators, we’re here to help. We offer a full range of rodent control services as part of our overall pest control program, and these include helping you prevent or rid your home of mice. This is an important time of year for these services – mice are known to invade buildings at higher rates during the fall. Why is this, and what can you do to prevent it from happening to you?
Why Mice Enter in Fall
Mice are constantly on the hunt for a place where they can reproduce safely and comfortably, and as the winter approaches, they realize that the best places available will be inside homes. They feel the temperatures dropping and instinct takes over, telling them to seek out shelter in a place that has food, water and warmth – and your home is often the first refuge they look for.
In addition, mice are most active at night while you’re sleeping. You may not even realize they’ve entered your home until the infestation has grown to extreme levels.
Problems With Mice
Mice are a problem in the home, not just for the aesthetics but also for the home’s structure and the health of its occupants. For starters, mice are chewers of literally anything they have to destroy to find a nesting area – they’ll happily chew through everything from drywall to wires in your home. This can lead to structural issues and major fire hazards in some cases, plus can lower home values.
In addition, mice provide a significant health risk. They’re known to harbor and carry several diseases that are troublesome for humans, and they don’t have to bite or even touch you for some of these conditions to be spread. They may also carry certain bacteria or diseases that threaten your home pets, if you have any. Their feces and urine can carry disease as well – and while you might think you’re doing the right thing by sweeping up those feces when you find then, you’re actually risking releasing a big puff of dangerous air.
Preventing Mice Entrance
Here are some basic tips for preventing mice from coming into your home as the weather cools down:
*Seal all the cracks or openings in your home and its foundation, including sealing windows and doors plus putting weather stripping on your garage door bottom. You may also want to install door sweeps.
*Seal all food in airtight containers, including pet or bird food.
*Clean up any food messes or crumbs that are left out as soon as possible.
*Don’t ignore any of their telltale signs, such as feces, urine, noises or chew marks in visible areas.
For more on mice in the fall, or to learn about any of our pest control or exterminator services, speak to the professionals at A-1 Exterminators today.
