Mice are attracted to homes for three reasons: Houses are comfortable, secure, and well-stocked with food. When mice infest a property, they will typically run around in the darkest passages, such as air ducts, crawl spaces, and wall cavities, in quest of food, requiring you to call rodent pest control. Mice can climb walls and pass through openings the size of a small coin, so if they go undiscovered, there’s no stopping them. But, What To Do If You Have Mice In Your Walls?
This page concerns mice or rats in crawl spaces, mice in walls, and rodents in air ducts. Use our Solution Finder to identify and fix mouse-related problems.
Mice Evidence in Your Home
If overnight food bags develop holes, a mouse family may have visited your kitchen. When you fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night, you may hear mice moving through your home. You might have seen one crawling over a rafter or down the brickwork of your fireplace. You have a mouse problem in such an instance. Even if you don’t see them with your own eyes, you can still detect a mouse invasion if you notice the following signs:
- Runs. Mice tend to take the same paths over and over. They can leave runs along the drywall, timber flooring, tables, and counters over time. It may not be visible to the human eye, but if you look closely, you may notice faint runs in front of perforated bread bags or chewed buckets of fruit.
- Droppings. Mouse droppings resemble small dark seeds; the newer ones are lustrous and black, while the older ones are dry and faded. If you notice a cluster of droppings, mice have most likely entered your home by a nearby hole, vent, or crack.
- Nests. When mice are overactive in a home, they nibble on cloth and cardboard to make nests. Mice like to nest in cupboards, closets, storage boxes, and under furniture. If you smell something weird in a place you rarely investigate, it could be a mouse nest. You might come to a nest in your basement under an old pile of clothes. Nests and droppings are frequently found together.
Mice Living in Crawl Spaces
Mice in your crawl space have a dark location to sleep all day and easy access to your kitchen at night. If you live near wild mice, your crawl space was probably a target. Mice prefer dark, confined, and infrequently checked crawling habitats.
You may have imagined that your crawl area was impenetrable, but all it takes for rodents to access your home is a small breach. After all, mice can fit through dime-sized holes and rats can squeeze through quarter-sized gaps. An infestation can eat away at a home’s foundation over time. While the crawl space acts as a vapor barrier for your home, it can all be jeopardized if mice get inside. The holes they leave could weaken your home’s water barrier, allowing rotten mold and fungi to grow. However, the following dos and don’ts can help keep mice out of your crawl space:
- Place no edibles in your crawl space. Mice can smell food from hiding places and are eager to eat their way through the woods to get to whatever snacks are there.
- Install an on/off light in your crawl space, either one that you can turn on and off throughout the day or one that will activate automatically every few hours. Mice avoid light, which is why you never see them outside during the day. Light can also act as a mouse repellant.
-
- Maintain the moisture level in your crawl space. This includes not only water but also food. Mice can get water from food, so make sure your crawl space is free of any moisture-containing items.
to pass. Air must be able to circulate; otherwise, moisture may accumulate within your home’s foundation, causing considerably greater problems.
-
- Fill up any gaps around your home. If you find mouse holes, cover them with mesh or cloth to keep mice out while allowing air
- Fill up any gaps around your home. If you find mouse holes, cover them with mesh or cloth to keep mice out while allowing air
- Install an ultrasonic pest control unit in your crawl space to generate rodent-distressing noises at varied volumes and frequencies that are undetectable by people and non-rodent pets.
It makes no difference how well you think you’re protected from rats and mice; some rodents, such as mice, can fit through gaps as small as a dime. If you suspect you have a rat or mouse infestation, you should contact a pest exterminator Chicago professional right away! You can also contact us at (773)945-0727 and ask about our pest control prices as well as what to do if you have a Dead Mouse In Your Wall.
