Now that the holiday season has passed, many homeowners can sit back and relax a little. The chaos of the holidays can be a little distracting from our everyday tasks and this is the perfect time of year to get things back on track.
This can include things like organizing and decluttering your home in preparation for the spring season. Also, this decluttering should be done in an effort to keep rodents out of your home.
Most folks don’t like to think about mice invading their home during any time of the year but, the winter season is when we need to be especially vigilant.
The winter season is the time of the year when rodents especially are looking for food and shelter.
In fact, rodents invade nearly 21 million homes nationwide each year. With the extreme weather patterns we have been seeing this winter – it is especially important to make sure that your home is protected from a rodent invasion
Here are just a few things that you can do to make sure that your home is protected from a mouse invasion:
- Store items in boxes and plastic sealed containers, rather than cardboard boxes.
- Keep food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly.
- Install screens over chimney vents and openings.
- Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the home.
- Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around basement foundation and windows.
- Install gutters or diverts to channel water away from your home.
- Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home and five feet off the ground.
- Inspect wires, insulation and walls for any signs of gnaw marks.
- If you find rodent feces, hear sounds of scurrying in the walls or observe other signs of an infestation, contact a licensed pest professional.
Make sure that your home is kept protected from a rodent invasion this winter by following these simple tips. Mice can carry diseases like Salmonella, Hantavirus, and other nasty viruses. Not to mention the damage they can do to your electrical and wiring systems.
