Rodents

When do mice show up?

Mostly when it cools off. In the fall, mice start looking for a warm way in, and a garage door that's showing its age or a gap around a pipe is plenty. One mouse every couple of years in an older house isn't unusual. Seeing them regularly means there's an opening somewhere that needs to be found.

How do you get rid of them?

Two parts. First we deal with what's already inside, with traps or bait depending on the situation. Then we go around the house and close up the openings, so the next ones can't get in. Sealing is our preferred long-term fix, and sometimes it takes a little carpentry and the right tools.

Closing everything up can take a while on an older house. In the meantime, tamper-resistant bait stations outside can bridge the gap, so you don't host a bunch of visitors over the winter. We check and refill them on our visits.

What do you check on an older house?

Besides the usual gaps around doors, vents, and pipes, one thing we look for on an older or renovated house is the old sewer line. When a house gets a new one, the old cast-iron line sometimes gets left under the house, open and still connected to the sewer. That's a tunnel straight to your crawl space.

Can I do some of it myself?

Yes. None of this is rocket science, and if you're a little bit handy, you can do some of the sealing yourself. One tip: spray foam is quick, easy, and cheap, but rodents will chew right through it if they want to. It's a fine start, not a fix.

How is it billed?

Rodent work is separate from Regular Service. Depending on what we find, it's either a cleanout with follow-up visits or ongoing service through the year, plus any sealing work.