A Mouse only needs an entry point as big as its head to gain access to your home! Once they are in your home, mice are experts at hiding!
Have you seen this size of a mouse head?
Finding entry points is certainly no easy task, and when you consider the above information we would not blame you if you wanted to call in an expert!
But you can do it! You can find common mice entry points, and you CAN use that knowledge to stop mice from getting into your precious home! All you need to know is where to begin looking…
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8 Common Mice Entry Points
Empty Holes
Over time, and because it is exposed to the elements, your home may end up with a number of holes in it.
It is vital that you regularly check around the perimeter of your home for any signs of wear and tear.
Ensure that you leave no place unchecked. It is especially important to check areas where you may have any plants or bushes growing. These areas are rarely checked but do leave your home exposed.
Mice have strong teeth, so even if there is a section of your home that is beginning to crumble, mice can chew through and enter your home.
Cable Holes
I am totally guilty of this!
Over time, I have changed over internet providers, phone providers, and cable providers. Each time, a technician has been out to install something new into my home.
Each change has the potential to leave a redundant cable entering my home. Instead of filling the hole, I left them. Leaving holes in your home means you are leaving the biggest Mice entry points exposed. Mice will take advantage. Before you know it, you will have mice in your attic and you will be lying awake at night wondering if the mice will get into your bed!
If you want to know how to track where mice are entering your house, check around your home for any cable holes that are no longer needed!
Regularly check cables holes that are in use too, because the hole may become weak due to the elements. If your cable holes get bigger, they can be used as an entry point for mice.
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning units need large holes to pass through equipment that is needed for the units to function.
Check around the installation for any small gaps around the edge because mice can easily enter using these edges! As I said above, mice only need a small area to gain access, so think about that as you are performing your checks.
Roof Holes
It is time to get the ladder out! If you want to know how to keep mice out of your home, you cannot avoid checking your roof.
Mice are excellent climbers, and will happily traverse the side of your home to find an entry point.
This is especially true if you have overgrown trees that are growing close to your home. The tree will make it easier for the mice to reach the roof.
When you are checking your roof, ensure you cover the whole perimeter, because if you do not find the holes, the mice will!
Check around the guttering, and check where the roof meets the walls. These are the entry points that mice will look for when they are trying to get into your home.
Door/Window Frame Gaps
Poorly fitted windows can leave gaps around the edges. This is also true if your house is old and your windows have not been replaced for some years.
Ensure that you check around each window and door to see if there are any holes small enough for mice to enter.
Your windows and doors may also have ventilation flaps which can also be an entry point for mice. Check these flaps to see if they are big enough to let a mouse in. I have just checked mine and I can see a mesh-like material blocking access to the inside on the house. The fact that the mesh has not been chewed shows that they have not been used by mice, so ensure that you check these regularly.
Outlets
Similar to cable holes, there are likely to be some ventilation points around your house that can be used as a mouse entry point.
Outlets may be in place for your clothes dryer, or for ventilation, especially in your attic.
At the end of each ventilation point, always block the external end with some mouse-proof wire mesh. Mice will find the mesh difficult to chew.
Open Doors/Windows
It goes without saying, but leaving your doors and windows open is asking for trouble! When you are looking at sealing your house from mice, do not forget the most obvious entry points.
In the hot weather, it is common for windows to be left open to ventilate and cool your house down. During the day, this is not too much of a problem, especially if you are at home while they are open.
Leaving your windows open at night is a huge entry point for mice, and they will take advantage.
Not only will open windows be a welcome sight for mice, but you are also leaving your house exposed to the bad folks of this world!
You may think that it is ok to leave the upper windows open, but remember that mice are very good climbers! They will find an open window and they will use it as an entry point.
Holes From Your Energy Source
Whether you use gas, solar panels, or electricity, your energy supply will need to enter your home somewhere.
Check around the area where your energy source enters your home. If they have been poorly fitted, or they have not been checked for a number of years, it is a perfectly valid mice entry point.
Have You Found a Mouse Entry Point? Here Is What You Do Now
If you have found one, or maybe more mice entry points, it is time to block them up to stop mice getting into your home! It is one thing knowing how to find where mice are coming into your house, but it is not much use unless you are willing to block these entry points.
Here is a list of items that I use to block mice entry points:
- Mouse Proof Wire Mesh: Wire mesh is vital for holes around ventilation units, and outlets that you may have in your home. Mice will find it a challenge to chew through metal, although it is possible, it is a challenge they may find too much.
- Spackling/Filler: Use filler to block any small holes, such as redundant cable holes. Ensure that you completely fill the hole, both inside and outside of your property. Leaving a hole in your home will expose it to mice infestations, so it is vital that you fill any holes as soon as they become redundant.
- Steel Wool: For larger holes in your home, it is worth plugging the hole with wire wool too, because if mice chew through the filler, they will stop as soon as they get to the wire wool. Although mice can chew through wire wool, the small metal sharps get stuck in their teeth, which makes the experience too painful for them. Wire wool is excellent for stopping mice and rats!
- Mouse Traps: I always have a small number of top-rated mouse traps set up in my attic, just in case I miss a mice entry point and one of them (or more) find their way into my home. The traps are checked regularly, just in case they have caught a mouse!
I have 6 traps in total, some large traps, and some small traps. When dealing with mice, it is important to set up some smaller traps to catch the smaller mice.
How To Track Where Mice Are Entering A House
Tracking where mice are entering a house is simple, especially if you have identified the entry points already.
Simply scatter some talc or flour around the entry point. After 2 days, check the area where you have scattered the talc to see if you have any footprints.
If the entry point has a breeze which may interfere with the talc, simply place a loaded mouse trap near the entry point. Then, you will find out which entry point they are using!
Conclusion
Now that you know how to look for mice entry points, it is time to go outside and thoroughly check the perimeter of your home!
Instead of scratching your head wondering how to find out where a mouse is coming from, get outside and check your property.
It is vital that you remove the entry points to ensure your home remains mouse free.
As soon as you have secured any weakness in your home, set up regular checks every 2 months. Do this to ensure that there are no new mice entry points that need to be fixed. That is how you keep mice out of your home!
Also, I suggest setting up some mouse traps in your attic, just in case you get a mouse that has found an entry point you may have missed. As I mentioned above, I have a number of traps set up, just in case!
Good luck!
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