With fall just arriving, mice and other pests will be looking for a cozy place to settle in for the cold weather. Your garage can prove to be the perfect place for them to move in. Household pests, particularly rodents, can create enormous problems for homeowners. They are not sanitary to have around and can be very destructive. Rodents such as mice and rats can reproduce very quickly causing any infestation to become out of hand fast. Prevention is always best in order to minimize your risk of property and belonging damage and avoid expensive extermination costs.
So how can you prevent pests from moving into your garage? It’s helpful to understand what they are looking for that makes a place ideal for them to live. The more resources you can eliminate, the less likely they will be to choose your garage to nest in. They will be looking for the following:
- Food sources. Any accessible garbage as well as any stored food.
- Water. Any type of water source nearby.
- Warmth. Many infestations begin during the colder months when pests are looking for places that they can be at a comfortable temperature.
- Nesting materials. This can be anything from paper or cardboard boxes to the insulation in your walls.
Getting mice out can be much more difficult and expensive than preventing them getting inside in the first place. Also, once they make it into your garage, they are much more likely to find their way inside your home. Here are some steps to take to prevent pests from making your garage their new home.
- Eliminate their resources.
Ensure that any food source is removed or contained in a container that pests will not be able to chew through. Consider storing food in another location that is less accessible.
Clear up the garage to reduce clutter and nesting material. Minimize the use of cardboard boxes, instead use plastic bins.
- Close up any access points. Pests can squeeze themselves into extremely small spaces. Mice can squeeze into spaces that are the width of a pencil! Close any small holes or cracks that can be used as an entry point.
- Maintain your garage door.
Check for gaps around the sides and bottom of the garage door. Examine your door’s weatherstripping and bottom seal. These will wear out over time, leading to cracks that pests can slip through. Mice can also chew through the bottom rubber seal and weatherstripping to gain access. Keep up with your door’s maintenance.
- Keep your garage door closed.
Reduce the amount of time your garage door is kept open. Having a wide open door for extended periods of time gives pests an easy opportunity to run inside.
- Use scents as a deterrent.
Many pests do not like certain smells and can deter them from nesting in the garage. Mothballs or cotton balls soaked in oils such as peppermint, cinnamon, or citronella and placed around the garage can help keep them away. Just be sure to be careful with these if you have pets as they can be toxic.
Pests, especially rodents like mice and rats can cause significant property damage. Chewing personal belongings, creating mess, leaving droppings, tearing up insulation and chewing through wires which can create hazards and destroy electronics are some of the things you can be dealing with. Garages are one of the main entry points so it’s important to make this area as inhospitable as inaccessible as possible. Call The Door Master for assistance with sealing up any cracks and gaps around your garage door to keep the pesky pests out!