The Secret To Keeping Mice Out Of Your Yakima County Home

Are you of the opinion that mice are cute and cuddly? It is likely that you would quickly change your mind if you knew all of the many, very uncute and very uncuddly things they do when they get into Yakima County homes. Mice chew holes in wood and tear up insulation. They chew holes in stored furniture and boxes. They chew holes in stored fabrics. They soak insulation, rugs, and other materials with their urine. They leave their feces everywhere. They spread ticks, fleas, and other parasites. Worst of all, they chew on wiring and are known to cause house fires. It is not good to have mice in your home! Here's the secret to keeping mice out of your Yakima County home.

Let's Start At The Edge Of Your Yard

When a mouse looks at your property, it doesn't see it from the sky. It sees it from a very low position. A yard with tall grass and lots of hiding places will feel safe to a mouse. One of the first things you can do to deter mice is to keep your grass cut short, remove unnecessary vegetation, and get rid of lawn clutter.

What You Should Know About Your Perimeter

The perimeter of your home is the area just outside of your walls. If you lived in a castle, this would be where you'd place your moat. Some of your perimeter may be sections of your exterior walls that are abutted by grass. Some may have landscaping. Some may have a deck. Some may have utilities. In each area, there are things to consider.

• It is important to invest in a grass trimmer and keep grass trimmed next to your home. A tiny little sprout here and there isn't much to worry about but a tuft of grass could make a nice hiding place for a little field mouse. You may not know this but a field mouse goes by another name. It's called a house mouse. Why? Because it loves to get into houses and stay, permanently. Don't give these little invaders any reason to leave the field.
• When a mouse runs around in your landscaping, it will use bushes and ornamentals for cover. If you keep things trimmed and create spaces between your plants, mice will feel exposed. This can deter them from chewing on the wood of a window that is hidden behind some dense vegetation.
• If a mouse gets underneath your deck, it might be able to find a sole plate to gnaw on. If you install fencing, you can keep mice and other pests out of this sensitive and slightly protected zone. Also, consider removing leaves that are under there. These can harbor bugs, which are a food source, and leaves can pile up and give some cover for mice.
• Common entry points mice use to get into homes are gaps around pipes and wire conduit. Spots where you have utilities should be checked routinely for droppings. This will alert you to potential issues. If you have gaps, seal them up to keep mice out.

Your Exterior

Once mice set their eyes on getting into your home, you might be in trouble. They are equipped with strong teeth that are capable of chewing through things you wouldn't expect. Routine inspection of your exterior can help you detect spots where mice are chewing. If you detect an area that is being targeted, you can bolster your defenses.

• Replace damaged weatherstripping around doors.
• Fill in holes that develop in door or window frames.
• Fill in holes in sole plates (also called sill plates). Apply metal flashing if necessary.
• Fix damaged screens and inspect for wood damage on windows and doors.

Mouse Control

If you start to find evidence of mouse activity in your home, it is best to call a licensed pest professional. Mice reproduce quickly and they can be very difficult to trap and remove effectively. The worst aspect of DIY mouse control is that mice can remain in a home without the homeowner realizing that their DIY mouse control failed. Get effective results by contacting Prosite for rodent control in Yakima County. We have the training and experience to get the job done right.