As the weather starts turning colder, rodents are starting to make their rounds and are looking for both food sources and shelter. While they’re outdoor creatures, they are always looking for safe places to live, and our homes provide a much better shelter and food source than a stack of wood or pile of brush ever could. In order to prevent them from entering, we have to make sure we seal off any potential entrances.
What You’ll Need to Survey Your Property
To make inspecting your property easier, make sure you have these tools:
- Flashlight
- Weather stripping
- Steel wool or aluminum mesh (preferably a material that won’t rust)
- Exterior caulking
- Wood Putty
Start Thinking Like a Rodent
In order to find the places a rodent will enter your home through, you have to start thinking like a rodent. Rodents will comb through the perimeter of your property, looking for any entry points and will keep moving until they find a hole they can get through.
Check for Holes in Foundations and Walls
Look around the perimeter of your property, at your foundation and walls, if you see any small holes that could act as an entrance (even as small as ¼ inch) then it needs to be sealed. Depending on where the hole is will determine what material needs to be used to patch it.
Watch for Holes Around Pipes
As you browse the perimeter of your home, look for any places where exterior pipes enter your walls. These pipes are generally caulked off, and this caulking can wear over time. If you find any gaps, make sure to seal them. Depending on the size of the hole, you may consider using brass wool or aluminum mesh, held in place with a bit of silicone to prevent mice from eating through it.
Check around Windows and Doors
The very same doors you use to enter your home could very well be the way mice are entering your home. Weather stripping wears out over time, creating small gaps that can be used to enter your home. The same goes for windows, any caulking or weather stripping that has worn out should be replaced to seal any potential entry points.
Check the Seal around Your Garage Door
One area that often gets over looked is your garage door. The door needs to have a tight, consistent seal at its bottom. Over time, your door can become poorly aligned, or may not meet the ground in certain areas. This may require adjusting your garage door to fix. Rodents are known to chew through seals to make entrances for themselves, so look to the corners of your garage door for any signs of wear or chewing. If you find any, you will need to replace the seal.
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