What Can I Do To Prevent Rodents Entering My Home?

Fall and winter are here. With that being said, now you have to be concerned about rodents entering your home. Rodents seek shelter indoors. If they make their way into your home, it can result in a full-blown infestation that can be hard to tame. Rodents can cause many types of hazards and dangers to various components of your home and your health. The best way to eliminate rodents is to prevent them in the first place.

How To Prevent Rodents 

Here are some tips to help prevent rodents from entering your home this fall and winter.

Eliminate Access to Food

The best way to prevent and control rodents from taking over your household is to eliminate any food source. Most rodents will eat almost anything, even the garbage you leave behind. You want to be sure that anything you spill, including crumbs, is picked up promptly. If you don’t have a garbage can with a lid, it is time to invest in one. All food sources should be completely secured and kept off of the counters. If you have pets, make sure that you store their food in containers that are secured as well.

Seal Cracks

Rodents, especially mice, can easily get into your home through the smallest holes and cracks. The best way to prevent mice and other rodents from entering your home is by sealing up these cracks around the foundation. The holes don’t have to be bigger than an inch for them to squeeze through. All doors used most often should be able to shut on their own. If you have spaces in your doorways, you should seal them using weather strips.

Purchase Traps and Bait

This tactic works best if you don’t have a full-blown infestation. This method is great in preventing mice and other rodents from getting into your home. If you are dealing with an infestation, your best bet would be to contact a rodent control and management professional.

Depending on where you live, you may tend to see more mice. You can place bait around the exterior of your home close to areas where mice would attempt to enter.

Ensure Basements and Crawlspaces Are Kept Dry

Whether you have a basement or a crawlspace, a good way to prevent mice from entering your home is by ensuring they are clean, free of dust, dry, and well-ventilated. You may want to consider having a vapor barrier installed to help keep the environment dry.  

Fix Previous Damage

Finally, if you have previous damage from rodents, ensure the damage is fixed immediately. Rodents have a tendency to chew on wires and pipes. Pests and rodents can drop urine and feces anyplace they wander. Prevent fires and leaks from occurring by having these issues fixed. This also goes for any insulation that you may have installed that is currently droopy. By fixing these important areas, you are doing yourself a favor by not allowing pests and rodents to enter your home.

Categorised in: Rodent Control

This post was written by Ken Perry