How to Prepare to Keep Rodents Away for Winter

This winter, the last thing you want is an unexpected guest. Unfortunately, pests like mice want nothing more than to move into your warm, food-filled home. Mice can get you and your family sick, so they’re one of the last things you’ll want around this winter. A few mice coming inside can quickly turn into a full-blown infestation. Stopping mice before they get inside is a must, so you’ll want to know how to prepare to keep rodents away for winter.

Close Off All Entry

The first way to prepare to keep rodents away for winter is to prevent them from coming in at all. You’ll want to go around your property and seal any holes or cracks in the outside of your home. Rodents are adept at squeezing through small holes so it’s recommended to caulk anything larger than a quarter of an inch but seal everything you can. Repairing torn screens also helps prevent mice from entering your home. If your house was built with a chimney make sure to get a chimney cap. Mice are excellent climbers and can descend a chimney to get in.

Another excellent way to seal the entry points is to install door sweeps under every door that leads in or out of the house. Rodents can sometimes fit underneath doors, and happily will get inside. A door sweep will prevent that from happening. Door sweeps also keep heat inside your home, which will keep you warm all winter. By closing off entrances for rodents, you’ll effectively stop them from entering your home.

Seal up Food

Another way to prepare to keep rodents away for winter is to remove access to anything a mouse would want. Rodents need warmth and food. While it’s not practical to stop heating your home during the winter, stopping rodents from getting food is a major help.  You can seal up food containers and ensure no food is left out to help prevent mice. Cardboard boxes or bags can be destroyed by mice, so try to put food into hard containers with rubber seals. Not only can they not be broken into as easily, but sealed containers also don’t give off any scents to attract pests. Make sure to seal up any pet food as well. If it’s good enough for your dog, it’s good enough for rodents and they’ll happily help themselves. Without easy access to food, rodents will want to move in much less.

Remove Any Hiding Spots

If rodents do manage to get inside, removing food sources is a big help. However, by also removing any place to hide you can ensure mice will not want to hang around. Remove any clutter around your home. Rodents like to hide in cramped spaces and cluttered areas look like a new home for the rodents. Try to store things in plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes. Mice can get into cardboard boxes and use the cord board for their nests. Also, try to elevate anything you’re storing off the ground to make it less likely that mice can get to them. Removing areas that can be nested in, as well as possible nesting materials, is a great way to prepare to keep rodents out this winter.

Call a Professional

By sealing any entrances, removing potential sources of food, and eliminating any spots to hide you can help prevent rodents from coming inside. However, the best way to prevent rodents this winter is to call a professional. Bee Smart Pest Control can create a barrier around your home that will prevent rodents from entering it. If you think you might have a rodent problem or want to prevent them from coming inside this winter, Contact Bee Smart Pest Control online, or call us at 720-937-0527. Our professionals will not only be able to identify where in your home mice are hiding, but come up with a personalized preventative solution for you and your home. We also only use safe chemicals while treating your home to keep your family, and ours, safe. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want the peace of mind that being pest-free brings, we’d love to help you!