As a homeowner, heating and cooling your home, as well as keeping it a comfortable temperature is a must. In the summer months it becomes somewhere you can seek refuge from the high temperatures and humidity from the outside. In the Winter months, it keeps your family warm and water systems from freezing. One highly overlooked reason why your heating and cooling equipment might fail is because of interference by unwanted guests: mice.
Chewing through wires
Mice are notorious for chewing, and it is all they seem ever to do. Once they have found their way into the furnace cabinet, they chew off the insulation of the wires connecting several aspects of the furnace. Exposing these wires leads to an increased risk of component failures.
Ruining circuit boards
Mice can be pretty destructive, and if no action is taken, you can as well forget the service your heating and cooling equipment has been providing. Chewing wires is one of the ways they can ruin the circuit boards.
Why do mice come inside the home?
If you notice there are mice inside your home, there is no need to panic. Likewise, don’t feel embarrassed by their presence. These tiny creatures, like any other animal, try to seek shelter anywhere possible. If they make their way inside the house, there are the right steps to follow to get rid of them.
How mice and rodents get into the basement, attic, and other areas
If your home has become a bit older, there is a high risk of rodent infestation, but that is not to mean new structures or homes are safe. Mice can enter your home by crawling through the spaces under buildings or the foundations on slabs. They can also sneak through the gaps left by connections near pipes, sewer systems, plumbing, electrical wires, chimneys, gas connections, fireplace and other areas. Once mice get through these entry points, they could end up inside the frames of the walls, inside pantries, closets, in the attic and basement, and anywhere they can fit in.
The best way to keep mice out of these areas is by installing air vent and flue covers, sealing air ducts, reducing moisture in your home, and using the appropriate pest control measures to prevent infestation. Ensure you have a pest-proofing routine you can stick to.
Basic signs you have a mice problem
How do you know if mice are already in your lovely home? The following are signs to keep an eye on:
- Odor
When your air conditioning is off, you may smell some odor. At times, the putrid smell could even be more pungent when the A/C unit is on. This is because mice urinate, producing some odor. - Presence of blowflies
If blowflies are suddenly swarming around your home, you might have a mice problem that you should address. - Mouse nest
Have you seen a ball of loosely shredded material all bound together? That could be a mouse nest and a primary sign these creatures have already made a home in your house.
What you can do to protect yourself against mice in the future
If you want to ensure mice don’t bother you call in a professional when you sight rodent damage. Working with a knowledgeable local pest company is much better than DIY attempts since you might be doing more harm than good when you do not know the right thing to do to keep rodents away from your home.