How to Get a Handle on Rodent Control in Alaska This Winter

As a homeowner, you’re on guard all year long making sure your house does not fall apart. The most effective way to accomplish this is to practice frequent preventative maintenance, which includes rodent control. But can a homeowner get a good handle on mice prevention in Alaska? Absolutely! You don’t even need to be a pest exterminator to take some useful steps to banish and keep out these unwanted invaders. With that in mind, here are five simple ways to rodent proof your house this winter:

• Seal off entry points: Mice and other types of rodents may appear to have pudgy bodies, but they are more than capable of squeezing through tight, small gaps. To keep mice out of your home, take a look around and seal off any places through which they can gain entry. Believe it or not, the pros recommend closing off any opening larger than a quarter inch. Check window screens for damage and repair them. Use wire mesh to seal cracks in the walls or foundation. Also, install a chimney cap to prevent rodents from entering your home from above.
• Use brush strips: Another entry point to look at closely is the bottoms of your exterior doors. If you think mice can get in under a door, add a brush or sweep strip to block their entry. Choose strips held in place with an adhesive rather than screws and you’re in for a simple installation process. A brush strip also works wonders at keeping the heat inside throughout the cold winter months.
• Store food in tight containers: While it’s likely you store leftover cooked foods in airtight containers in the refrigerator, you should also do the same for a number of pantry items. This is an especially important step for homeowners with a wintertime rodent problem. Storing food in sealed containers prevents easy access to the goods. Place opened non-perishables in airtight storage containers, as well as unopened food items originally packaged in cardboard, plastic or paper. Just put the entire item unopened in an airtight container. Mice will have a hard time getting into food even if they try gnawing on a sealed container. Another attraction is pet food, which should be stored in sealed containers as well.
• Clean up food residue: Crumbs and other food residue are enough to feed a mouse, so clean off cooking and eating surfaces—this means the countertops, underneath the counters, on top of and inside the refrigerator, the stovetop and other large kitchen appliances. Likewise, wipe down or vacuum other places in your house where people and pets enjoy eating, such as the living room, play room, home office and out on the patio.
• Clear the clutter: Next to food, clutter is a rodent’s best friend. Mice, rats and other critters thrive in areas with clutter, mostly because of the convenient hiding spots. Check inside and outside of your house for clutter, such as newspapers, recyclables, boxes, old clothes, junk and household garbage, and remove it. Store boxed items high up off the ground.

This winter, don’t hesitate to contact the team at Pied Piper Pest Control for help with rodent control in Alaska. Reach out to us anytime to schedule an appointment!

Categorised in: Rodent Control

This post was written by Writer