Any wild rodent loose in your house is cause for concern. Rodents such as mice and rats can contaminate food, damage electrical wiring, chew up important papers, and even spread disease. Rodent-proofing your home can prevent nasty infestations before they happen. If you do find your home playing host to unwanted rodents, try whatever measures necessary to remove them, and block off their entry points into your home. 

Rodent proofing: signs of rodents 

Mice and rats can live in your home relatively undetected at first. One of the first signs that may indicate their presence is small, dark droppings which are feces. They look like tiny grains of rice that you will find along walls, in pantries, closets, and on shelves. Another sign of these intruders can be holes chewed in bags of food, boxes, or dry goods in your pantry. Any place that you may store bags of pet food or grass seed can be a feeding ground for rodents as well.

Rodent exclusion tips 

Rodent proofing is essential in protecting your home. Rodents will continue to take over as long as they are allowed easy access to food and shelter. By properly storing food and other attractants, sanitizing both indoor and outdoor spaces, and sealing off entry points into your home, you will be able to eliminate the very reasons these rodents found your home so appealing. 

• Sanitize 

Proper sanitization is an important step in preventing a rodent infestation. For unwanted creatures to thrive, they must have adequate food and shelter. You take that away and the rodents will go away too. It is important to sanitize both the inside and outside of your home in your efforts. 

Outside tips 

• Store firewood away from the house and off the ground
• Keep your yard clean of fruit that has fallen from trees
• Remove rock and debris piles from your property 
• Regularly mow and trim your lawn to prevent hiding spots 5. Trim overgrown vegetation so the ground underneath is visible 
• Keep bird feeders far from your house and remove any seeds that may have found their way to the ground 

Inside tips 

• Clean areas where crumbs commonly fall such as under appliances and barstools 
• Keep countertops clear of food and sanitize regularly 3. Make sure all garbage cans have tight-fitting lids 
• Put away any uneaten pet food so it isn’t left out overnight 5. Do not leave glasses of water out overnight 

• Seal common access points 

One of the best ways to stop rodents from entering your home is to make it impossible to gain entry. Mice can fit through an opening the size of a dime and rats, the size of a nickel. This makes it very difficult for you to exclude rodents completely. Regularly inspecting and sealing these points of entry will make a huge difference in preventing pests. 

• Seal all gaps and cracks around window frames 
• Use steel wool and silicone caulk around the edges and outside of your dryer vent 
• Place a cap on your chimney to prevent entry 
• Board or cover up any exposed insulation that might be used for nesting 
• Fill in or plug all cracks in your foundation, walls, attic, and basement 
• Try using garage door seal along the bottom of all your garage doors and ensure your doors are in good condition
• Rodent proof ductwork by using a water-based mastic duct sealant 

• Proper Storage 

It can be all too easy to forget about food and other items you may keep stored away. Make sure your cupboards and other storage areas are properly organized and frequently inspected. Store items such as dry food or birdseed in metal or glass containers. Also, properly seal all seasonal containers or bins to prevent rusting. Be sure to keep storage bins raised and off the ground. 

Do your own home inspection 

Now that you understand just how important rodent proofing your home can be in the fight against infestation, it’s time for you to do your own home inspection. 

Outdoor Inspection Checklist: 

• Damaged or missing roof shingles 
• Gaps larger than ¼ in where siding and foundation meet Vinyl or rubber roofing forms a continuous seal and no holes Tree limbs and branches are at least 6 ft back from roof access All electrical service, telephone, or cable openings in siding are sealed Doors have threshold seal present, are in good condition and fit properly 
• Weatherstripping at all garage door injunctions 
• Basement windows are cracked or missing 

Indoor Inspection Checklist: 

Attic: 

• All vents are screened 
• Evidence of the roof leaking 
• Evidence of pest activity (droppings, nests, animals, chewing)

Garage, Basement, and Crawl Space: 

• All pet food, seeds, or human food stored in sealed containers Floor drains with tight-fitting covers and screened 
• Pest monitors placed in basement
• Access to all perimeter walls and corners for inspection Tight fitting vents and windows 
• Evidence of pest activity (droppings or chewing) 

Living Space: 

• Uncluttered rooms for rodent inspection 
• Plumbing and electrical openings big enough to allow rodents through Cracks in walls, between cabinets and walls, and cabinets and floors Cracks in concrete slab (especially in garage) 

Rodent proofing materials 

• Concrete 
• Caulk 
• Sheet Metal-26 gauge thickness 
• Steel Wool 
• Copper or Aluminum wire mesh 
• Hardware cloth 19 gauge 
• Rodent proof spray foam 
• Sealant 

Rodent proofing costs 

Professional rodent removal costs somewhere between $95 and $235 with the average cost to homeowners landing closer to $165. The exact price you’ll pay for this type of rodent control depends on the size of your home and the amount and type of rodents you have. The worse your pest problem is, the longer it will take for a pest control company to take care of the removal, clean-up, and any repairs that need to be done. Typically, these costs do not include repairing damages that were caused by the rodents. 

Ultimately, your pest control costs reflect how much time and effort it will take to get rid of any unwanted rodents or animals in your home. Click here to see our rodent proofing pricing. 

Rodent Proofing Conclusion 

If you are worried you might have rodents in your home or need to prevent a rodent infestation, call Vinx Pest Control today for a free quote. We are experts at rodent detection and removal. First, we’ll get rid of any active rodents in your home, and then we can patch up entrances and help you prevent future outbreaks. 

Our rodent exclusion patches up all the holes in your home so that the mice, rats, and squirrels can’t regain entry. Because these rodents are persistent, we continue to inspect during our quarterly service so that new points of entry are quickly brought to your attention and dealt with. We serve the Dallas, Charleston, and Greenville areas. Get professional rodent proofing at your home or business today.