How Do You Find Where Mice Are Getting Into Homes?

Welcome to a spooky, yet informative blog on a topic that may send shivers down your spine just in time for Halloween – finding where those sneaky mice are getting into your house! Now that fall has arrived and temperatures are starting to dip in Phoenix, Tucson, and throughout Southern Arizona, these rodents will likely seek warmth and shelter sooner than later. And what's scarier than discovering uninvited guests creeping around your home? In today’s blog post, we're going to explain how you find where mice are getting into your house in the unique context of our desert homes.

Search for signs of mouse activity

First things first, it's time to put on your detective hat and go on a mouse hunt. Keep an eye out for these telltale signs that indicate mouse activity in your Phoenix or Tucson home:

• Droppings
  Wherever mice travel, they tend to leave small, dark droppings behind. Keep an eye out for mouse poop in the kitchen, pantry, storage areas, and other areas where these pests may hide out.
• Gnaw marks
  Mice are notorious for chewing through just about anything. Check for gnaw marks on wires, furniture, and baseboards.
• Nests & nesting materials
  Mice are resourceful and often steal materials like paper, cardboard, or insulation in order to create nests. Nests are often established in attics, wall voids, and garages. Click here for other places you may find mice hiding and nesting.
• Live mice
  The best and easiest way to confirm a mouse infestation in your home is to spot a live mouse scurrying around inside your home. These rodents tend to stick to the edges of walls and are more likely to come out from hiding during the night when everyone is asleep.

How mice get inside Arizona homes               

Mice can enter homes through small openings and gaps in walls, doors, windows, and other parts of the structure. Here’s how they typically find their way inside:

• Exterior gaps and cracks
  Mice only need an opening the size of a dime, so you’ll have look very closely when inspecting the exterior of your home for any gaps or cracks. Pay particular attention around doors (entry and garage doors), windows, and utility penetrations as well as cracks in the found.
• Roof
  Mice also access homes through roofs. Look for holes or openings in the roof and soffits.
• Crawl space
  If your home is not built on a slab and has a crawl space underneath, you’ll want to check for mouse activity in there.
• Vents
  Mice may also exploit vents to gain access to Arizona homes.

Be careful you don’t carry mice inside

If you store holiday décor or other seasonal items in an outbuilding on your property, there’s always the chance you’ll introduce mice if they’ve infested cardboard boxes or other storage containers. Be sure to inspect anything you bring inside.

Contact Northwest Exterminating if you spot a mouse (or several) in the house

At the first sign of a mouse problem in your home, call Northwest Exterminating right away. If there’s food and shelter that protects these rodents from weather, they will not vacate unless forced to do so.

At Northwest Exterminating, we offer effective rodent control in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson as well as throughout our service area that stops mice and rats from taking over! From rodent trapping to digital rodent monitoring, our local pest control company has a solution for your home.

What’s more, we also offer ongoing home pest control plans that are designed to keep insects and rodents out all year long. Compare our residential plans below or simply give us a call to find out how we can help you protect your home against a mouse infestation!