Tips for Locating Rodent Entry Spots
An important step in getting rid of mice and rats is exclusion. Exclusion looks at all the ways that rodents may be able to enter your home – through open doors, cracks, vents, and more – and closing them off to make it more difficult for rodents to get in going forward.
But most of the holes that rodents squeezed through are not going to be obvious. Mice can get in a hole as small as a nickel and rats only need a space the size of a quarter to get through. This hole will often not be out in the open either, but hidden behind walls, in basements, and in attics. This means it is helpful to know what and where to look when you begin the rodent exclusion process.
Top Spots for Rodents to Sneak Indoors
Most of the holes that rodents get through are the result of damage that develops as a property ages. Sealing them up often requires making different types of repairs. On the smallest holes, you may be able to stuff them with steel wool to block them off. You can seal larger holes with caulk and cover the largest holes with metal mesh or repair the damaged surface back to its original condition.
But the first step is to find the holes and gaps. These are the areas where you should start looking:
- Around the edges of windows and doors.
- Around pipes and drains.
- Inside your kitchen cabinets.
- Along baseboards throughout your home.
- In the basement and attic.
- Behind appliances like your refrigerator.
- Around air vents.
- Along the foundation of the building.
- At points outdoors where pipes wiring connects to your home.
- Throughout the garage.
- Anywhere you have weather stripping.
- Along the roofline, including soffits and fascia.
Another way to find hotspots for rodents is to set traps around your home. Traps that catch mice or rats more frequently can indicate either a nest or a rodent entrance nearby, helping you narrow down your search area.
Since finding one mouse hole across an entire property can be extremely challenging, another solution is to work with NY and NJ Animal Control for rodent exclusion in NYC. Our team of experts knows exactly where to look around your home for mice and rat entry points, and can find even the smaller signs that rodents are getting in. For homes that are looking for a lasting solution against mice and rats, reach out to Animal Control NYC.
