Mice are some of the most common pests that invade Dallas homes. These troublesome pests bring several problems for homeowners, from chewing on and destroying valuable items to carrying numerous deadly diseases and serving as a significant health hazard.
Given the destruction they can cause, keeping these creatures out and away from your beloved home is vital. So, if you are wondering how to keep mice out of your Dallas home, read on!
What Attracts Mice to Homes?
Like most other pests, the most common factors that entice mice to enter homes are the availability of food, water, and shelter. Crumbs and spills, leftover foods in the open, poorly sealed trash cans, pet food bowls, and bird feeders are common attractants.
Mice are also attracted to water sources. These could include stagnant water in or around your home, clogged gutters, bird baths, and plumbing leaks.
Lastly, mice seek warm and safe hiding spots to seek shelter in which they can nest, especially during the cold season. Therefore, any gaps, cracks, or holes in the home’s exterior or spaces in or under the windows or doors can enable these critters to enter your home.
How Do Mice Enter Dallas Homes?
These resilient creatures adapt extremely well to living inside homes, especially when there is easily available food and water. The following are the ways these pesky creatures enter your Dallas home:
Sharp Incisors
Mice rely on their sharp and powerful front incisors to chew out entry holes such as in the walls, floors, insulation, and foundation. They typically make existing gaps and holes larger but might even create new holes which serve as entry points.
Small Bodies
Mice have slender bodies with flexible spines and ribs, which allows them to squeeze through narrow cracks and crevices. Accordingly, they can enter your home through tight spaces, as small as about the size of a dime.
Intelligence
Rodents are intelligent animals, which renders it difficult to control them. These sneaky little creatures are on the lookout for new ways to set up shop in your home, from climbing up tree branches to enter through vents and chimneys on the roof to crawling up downspouts and finding a way in through the gutters.
How to Keep Mice Out
Preventing mice requires eliminating common attractions and sealing up their potential access points. Here is how you can keep these unwelcome guests at bay for good:
Yard Prevention
To prevent mice from infesting your yard, keeping the space clean and tidy is essential. Trim down overgrown grasses, bushes, weeds, and shrubbery and remove piles of leaves and foliage and food sources like fallen fruits or vegetables and bird feed.
Exterior Prevention
Keep your exterior clear of clutter and debris. Trim down landscaping to eliminate hiding spots, and do not stack wood piles near your home. Take a walk around your home’s foundation to identify access points and fill them using sealants like caulk or wire mesh.
Installing weather stripping can also help keep mice from entering your home from beneath the doors.
Interior Prevention
It is vital to keep your indoor space clean. Mice are not picky eaters, and you must be at the top of your game at all times.
Keep all pantry staples and leftover foods in airtight containers or the refrigerator, do not leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, regularly clean kitchen countertops and other food prep surfaces with a disinfectant, mop your living area and keep pet food bowls empty when not in use.
As mice are also attracted to water, it is also important to fix plumbing leaks in the kitchen or bathrooms and reduce humidity levels by ensuring proper ventilation or installing a dehumidifier.
Why Are Mice a Problem?
These creatures are notorious for their constant gnawing habits, which means they can chew through virtually anything, including furniture, books, clothing, insulation, and even electrical wiring, creating a fire hazard.
Also, by gnawing through your home’s framing, these tiny creatures can cause structural damage to your home over time if left unchecked.
Another serious threat these pests pose is that they are vectors for several diseases and infections. Consuming food contaminated by rodent feces, urine, or skin cells exposes you to life-threatening conditions. These include but are not limited to hantavirus, salmonellosis, tularemia, leptospirosis, and more.
How To Prevent Mice in Dallas
As clever and resourceful creatures, getting rid of mice without professional help can be daunting. While traps and bait can certainly help bring down mice populations, controlling a widespread infestation might not bring much luck.
That’s where a professional pest extermination company comes in. Romney Pest Control has been providing top-of-the-line, dependable pest control services for over ten years with its team of experienced and highly-trained technicians.
Don’t let mice take over your space and threaten the health and safety of your family. Give us a call today and get rid of your mice problem for good!
