Pest Control: Keeping Mice At Bay

The first step in the road to successful pest control is to keep any unwanted critters out of your house. The old saying says that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and nowhere is this more true than when trying to rid your house of mice and other rodents. A couple here and there can quickly lead to an infestation. If you know you live in an area susceptible to this kind of activity, you should take preemptive steps to stop it before it starts. Here are some things you can do to ensure you never have a real problem on your hands.

Securing the perimeter of your house should be your first order of business. Go out and take a close look at the outside of your home. Look for any cracks, crevices, or other openings that a mouse could get through. This includes any holes that exceed ¼ inch. That’s right, a determined mouse can get in a hole even that small, and bugs can get into openings even smaller. You want to try and close up your house as thoroughly as possible. Take some gauze made from copper or even some steel wool and stuff any holes larger than this. Use a caulk gun for larger openings and even smaller ones when you want to be thorough.

Next, check the foundation. Good pest control, again, means making sure that rodents and other unwanted visitors don’t have a way into your fortress. As they say, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. You can have the most impenetrable walls possible, but if there is but a single crack in the foundation, it could mean these furry guests have a passport to the inside of your home. Make sure you have no such weaknesses. Look for any areas where the concrete isn’t holding up and repair them as soon as you can. If there are serious breaches, you should consider having this done by a professional company. This, naturally, is wise not only to keep mice out, but for the strength of your home as well.

Okay, so you’ve repaired your foundation and you’ve ensured there are no cracks or crevices in your home that mice can get in through. But what about your air conditioning system? You have to be cognizant about any areas—even pipes and vents—where a mouse could find their way into your home. Because they will find it. If it exists, it will eventually be found. And if those mice find that they can get to food inside your home, you will have an infestation before you know it. Be vigilant when ensuring that all of your vents and pipes are secured firmly.