It can happen to almost anyone. You’re relaxing in your house at night when suddenly you hear scurrying behind the walls. You’ve got mice. Mice aren’t just cute critters; they can cause severe damage to your home and be a risk to your whole family. Learn why mice come inside during winter, the dangers of winter mice problems, and how to keep them away.
Why Do Mice Come Inside During Winter?
Understanding why mice come inside during the winter is the first step in controlling your problem. Mice come into homes for two primary reasons: shelter and food. The outdoors is not a welcoming environment for a typical house mouse. They prefer to build nests inside your walls and ductwork where they can breed like crazy. Your house is also an easy source of food which makes it that much more desirable.
The Dangers of Winter Mice Problems
Winter mice problems can present a real danger to your family and home. Mice carry diseases that spread through their droppings. They also transport fleas and ticks that run the risk of bloodborne illness to your family. They can ruin your food and even cause damage to your home itself. They’re unsanitary and dangerous, and you should always take steps to get rid of them.
How Mice Can Damage Your Property
Mice can damage your house in many ways. They’re known to chew through walls, creating holes in the property. They also gnaw on wood, which can cause structural damage. Perhaps the most significant way they threaten your home is with wire chewing. This can directly result in your home catching on fire. A mouse infestation, in short, can cost you just about everything.
Keeping Mice Out of Your House
Rodent-proofing can take just a few simple steps. First, secure your food in bins. Keep surfaces clean from crumbs, and consider keeping pet food in plastic containers. Remove clutter like old stacks of boxes, magazines, and even laundry off the floor.
Seal any cracks or openings more than one-quarter inch wide. Adding a brush or sweep strip to your exterior doors can seal up the cracks under them. Additionally, if you have firewood, keep it far from the house and elevated at a minimum of 18 inches from the ground.
Already have a mouse in the home? Catch it with these simple rat traps.
How to Eliminate an Infestation
An infestation can be challenging to get rid of. If you’ve seen a mouse or rat, you probably have much more hiding. Contact Dr. Death Pest Control and secure your home against future