How to Keep Mice and Rats Out of Your Home This Winter
As New England temperatures drop, mice and rats look for a warm place to wait out the cold — and your home is the ideal target. A little prevention in the fall saves you from a full-blown infestation by January.
Why rodents move indoors in fall
When the weather turns, rodents seek warmth, food, and shelter. A mouse can slip through a gap the width of a pencil, and rats need only a quarter-sized hole. Once inside, they breed quickly and are far harder to remove than to keep out.
Step 1: Seal entry points
Walk your foundation and exterior walls looking for gaps around pipes, vents, cables, and the base of doors. Seal small gaps with steel wool and caulk, and use hardware cloth over larger openings. Check where utilities enter the house — these are the most common highways indoors.
Step 2: Remove outdoor attractions
Move woodpiles and debris away from the foundation, keep grass and shrubs trimmed back, and secure trash and compost. Bird seed and fallen fruit are magnets — clean them up. The less shelter and food outside, the less reason rodents have to press toward the house.
Step 3: Cut off food and water inside
Store pantry goods and pet food in sealed containers, clean up crumbs, and fix leaks. Rodents can survive on surprisingly little, so eliminating easy meals makes your home far less appealing.
Step 4: Watch for early signs
Droppings, gnaw marks, a musky odor, or scratching in walls and ceilings at night all signal activity. Catching it early — before rodents establish and breed — makes control much simpler.
When to call a professional
If you’re seeing droppings, hearing noises in the walls or attic, or spotting mice in living areas, the population is likely larger than it appears. A professional locates entry points, sets up exclusion, and eliminates the existing rodents before they multiply.
Get Professional Help from Griggs & Browne
If pests have you outmatched, Griggs & Browne Pest Control can help. Serving New England homeowners since 1910, our licensed team solves the problem at the source — with a service guarantee. Request a free quote through griggsbrowne.com.