06th Jan 2020 Pest proofing #theratman
As the old saying goes, "prevention is better than cure!!"
So set the scene, its 2 a.m. the hubby is snoring and you are awoken by the sound of scurrying and scratching from the attic. What is it??? Fingers crossed it's a mouse. When you stop screaming and the hubby has jumped out of bed thinking the house is falling down, what next??You need to confirm it is a mouse. You'll have to head up to the attic for inspection. What you're looking for is signs of rodents, e.g. droppings, chewed cables or pipes. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice, and a mouse will leave a whopping 50 - 60 per day. Any bigger than rice, chances are its a rat. Set traps accordingly. DO NOT set poison. Next pop outside for an inspection to establish entry points. If you do not block the external entry point, you will have rodents on an ongoing basis.
Checklist of areas to look:
- Around all outlet pipes (remember a mouse just needs a 6mm gap to gain entry)
- Boiler: Check for droppings in boiler and seal where pipework enters the house.
- Cracks in external walls: Seal with concrete.
- Unsecured vents or air bricks: Cover with a fine mesh.
- Gaps under doors: Fitting a bristle or brush strip to the bottom of the door will help.
- Is your garage attached?? Check the garage door for gaps and seal with bristle strip.
- Remove ivy if it is growing up external walls.
- If living in a semi-detached or terrace, you need to check with the neighbours if they are having problems too.