Ask Your Pest Control Company for Rodent Exclusion, Not Just Bait
Most homeowners call Pest Control after they hear scratching in the ceiling, usually around Thanksgiving. By then, mice are already nesting. They start moving indoors when overnight lows settle into the 40s, which across our region is right now, and an adult house mouse can squeeze through a gap about the width of a pencil.
Book an exclusion inspection, not a spray visit. A good technician walks the full foundation line and checks where utility lines, dryer vents and AC refrigerant lines enter, plus garage door corners and sill plates. Gaps get packed with copper mesh and sealed, vents get hardware cloth, and exterior doors get sweeps.
Ask whether the quote includes exclusion or only bait stations, and whether the sealing work carries a warranty, often six to twelve months. Be wary of indoor poison bait; mice die inside walls, and the smell lingers for weeks.