Mice climbing walls and living in your attic might sound like something out of a horror movie, but it’s a very real worry for landlords. Mice are smart and can be surprisingly quick when it comes to finding a place to live and food. In this blog post, we’ll find out if mice can climb walls and get into your attic. Let’s find out what’s going on.
The Myth That Mice Can Climb: To answer this question, let’s start by busting a popular myth. Mice aren’t naturally good climbers like squirrels are. They don’t have the parts of their bodies that let them climb up walls. Their bodies aren’t made for climbing like a squirrel’s is, with feet and claws that are shaped to grip tree wood.
Vertical Movement: Mice are good flyers, though, and for their size, they can jump up to a foot in the air. This means they can jump onto low walls or gaps, among other places. But they can’t climb walls like Spider-Man just because they jump on them.
How Do Mice Get to Your Attic?
If mice can’t climb walls like action movie jumpers, how do they get into your attic? The answer lies in their drive and ability to change. Mice take advantage of chances. They will look at every part of your house, inch by inch, for possible entry spots. These points of entry could be:
- Gaps: Mice are able to get through very small holes. Gaps in the outside of your house, like around pipes, vents, or broken siding, make it easy for someone to get in.
- Vents and Eaves: Mice can get into your attic through vents or eaves that don’t have enough screens or other hurdles to keep them out.
- Trees and Overhanging Branches: If you have trees near your house, mice can jump from the branches onto your roof. This gives them easier access to possible entry spots.
- Downspouts and Gutters: If your downspouts are not properly protected, mice can get in through them.
Prevention is Crucial:
Prevention is the best way to keep mice out of your attic. You can take the following steps:
- Sealing Entry Points: Carefully look around the outside of your house for cracks or holes that mice could use to get in. Use things like steel wool or caulk to fill in these holes.
- Trim Trees and Shrubs: If you have trees near your house, cut the branches away from the roof to make it harder for mice to get up there.
- Secure Vents and Eaves: Cover vents and eaves with screens or covers to keep mice out.
- Maintain Gutters: Make sure your gutters are in good shape and that the ends of your drains are sealed. They can be used as roads by mice to get to your attic.
- Regular Checks: Check your attic every so often for signs of mouse activity, like droppings or insulation that has been chewed. If a small problem is caught early, it won’t grow into a full-blown outbreak.
- Professional Help: If you think mice have gotten into your attic or if you’re not sure how safe your home is, you might want to hire a pest control service. Experts can do a full inspection, find the places where mice can get in, and take steps to keep them out.
Even though mice aren’t naturally good jumpers like some other pests, they can still get into your attic by jumping and taking advantage of openings. To keep mice from getting into your attic, you need to seal off entry points, keep the outside of your house in good shape, and keep an eye out for possible weak spots. Remember that the best way to keep unwanted people out of your attic is to keep it clean.
Fast, effective, and guaranteed mouse control services in Port Hope. We have licensed and insured exterminators on our team that go above and beyond to make sure your mouse infestation is completely gone.