Even though we don’t get much in the way of snowfall here in Tennessee (except in the mountains), there is no denying that temperatures are cooling off and winter is at hand. Most of the hard work of fall is completed by now; the pool is drained, the pump stored and the cover on. The patio set is covered or tucked away in the back of the garage, the oil tank is full, and the winter wipers are on the car. The crops have been harvested and the fall bulbs planted. Yup, all of our preparation for winter is behind us! What a great feeling!
Did you know that while you were hustling and bustling in your fall fervor trying to get that huge list accomplished before the weather turned cold, that there was a little someone working even harder than you were in order to prepare for winter. That’s right! Rodents, like mice, are scurrying to and fro frantically searching for their winter abode before the cold sets in. These smart little creatures know that winter is fast approaching and that hiding under a rock or in an old stump is definitely not the most comfortable accommodation; and burr, that wind surely has a bite. Besides, it would be very hard to store enough food for the next several months under a rock, now wouldn’t it!
Your home is a 5 star hotel to rodents. They receive a warm and cozy room and every evening – room service! Of course the ‘room’ they service is your kitchen, but after all, to them it’s an all-inclusive package deal! And no resort fees! Ahhh, this is the life! Not only will these pests live and eat for free all winter, but they will also cause damage as they chew through wires, urinate and defecate wherever they please, and invite a billion or so fleas, ticks, and lice to join them. Not to mention the myriad of disease they and their parasites carry and transmit! This is not exactly your idea of a relaxing winter is it?
Here are a few things that you can do to make your ‘winter hotel’ less attractive for these pests.
- Ventilate attics, crawl spaces and basements properly
- Seal cracks and holes – especially where utilities and pipes enter your home0
- Replace weather stripping around doors and windows
- Repair screens on doors and windows
- Store food in air tight containers
- Remove trash and garbage regularly and store in trash cans with tightly fitting lids
- Eliminate moisture from leaking pipes and AC units
Remember, mice can fit through a hole as small as ¼ inch so be sure to caulk all those nooks and crannies! The truth is, even after all this hard work, if there is a breach – just one small crevice or one rotting board to chew through – you can bet that these resourceful little rodents will find it and exploit it.
This is why exclusion is the only effective answer. That’s right! Prevention! Here at Active Pest Control we have invested in education, hands-on training, the latest products, and state-of-the-art technology to ensure our pest control teams are the most trusted, efficient, and effective pest control technicians around. They can inspect your home, find all the possible entry points, and seal out those pests. Truly, it is far better for you to exclude mice in the first place than it is to try and get rid of them after the fact. Trust the exclusion experts here at Active Pest Control to protect your home from mice and then you will be able to snuggle up next to that wood stove with your hot chocolate without worrying about a mouse in the house.
