Prepare for and Prevent a Winter Home Invasion of Mice

Winter is often a dangerous and deadly time for many pests. For example, mice often face starvation during the harsh winter months and will invade houses and apartment buildings for shelter. Thankfully, you can avoid this issue and keep mice out of homes during the winter with some helpful information.

Mice Are Hardy but Prefer Indoor Warmth in Winter 

Though mice are tiny, they can tolerate cold weather quite well. Most will hide among tree roots and in other secluded areas during the coldest months to maximize their warmth. However, food sources get quite rare for mice in the winter, which may force many of them to seek indoor shelter in nearby homes and apartment complexes.

These rodent invaders may merely want a warm place to sleep for the night but often end up attracted to the large volume of food in most houses. As a result, these pests are likely to settle in a home during the winter and might even stay long into the summer. But just how do these little furry buggers get into a house?

Mice Can Easily Invade Most Homes 

Professional exterminators report that home invasion is quite simple for the wily mouse. Typically, a mouse invasion begins when a rodent – often a mother mouse – finds a small crack in a building’s wall, floor, or foundations. These holes are usually quite small but may be large enough for a hungry and cold mouse to squeeze through.

And even if these holes aren’t quite wide enough for a mouse, a mouse’s sharp teeth can easily widen their passage. As a result, more mice — and other pests, like cockroaches — will be able to enter a house without difficulty. Once inside, mice can do a lot of damage to a home that may not be noticeable without a proper inspection.

For example, mice like to destroy wood, insulation, cloth, papers, and even plastic to create raw materials for their nests. Mice also chew on wires, which may cause shorts that can threaten the safety of a home. These dangers — and much more — make it necessary to get winter mice out of a house for good.

Mice Can Be Controlled 

Homeowners concerned about a winter home invasion of mice can prepare for and prevent this problem. For example, pest control experts state that keeping a home free of excessive food can make a home less attractive to a mouse. Decreased clutter also limits the materials mice that can use to build a nest in a person’s house.

More proactive pest control steps, such as exclusion, are also necessary to keep mice out of a house. For example, homeowners should inspect the exterior of their home for openings larger than one-quarter inch. Mice can enter holes of this size with ease and use them to invade a home. Seal the holes with caulk, steel wool, or other home improvement products.

Pest Control Experts Provide Professional Help

Homeowners should also call exterminators to kill any mice who may have invaded their home. Pest control experts provide comprehensive methods for rodent control. Each treatment technique includes exclusion repairs, multiple traps, various poisons, and much more. In this way, homeowners can keep their home free of mice this winter.

The destructive capabilities of mice go far beyond their small size and must be prevented as much as possible. While some homeowners may be capable of a handful of control methods on their own, many more are likely to need professional help. So please don’t hesitate to contact us at PermaTreat Pest and Termite Control to get the help that you need to rid your home of mice.