Mice can be an extremely frustrating pest. While they generally don't do anything except get into your food, they proliferate quickly. A few mice in your walls can swiftly become dozens, chewing through your drywall and damaging your wiring. The best way to protect yourself is to make sure they don't get in at all.

Inspect the Outside of Your Home

Inspect the outside of your house for any gaps or cracks in the walls. Look around pipes for holes. You can fill these areas with mortar or caulk, depending on how large they are. Don't underestimate the tenaciousness of mice. A small field mouse can fit into a very small gap and often will do so in search of warmth.

Repair Window Screens 

Check to make sure your windows are all properly screened and that there aren't any tears or breaks in the screens. You can either patch screens or completely re-screen them: it's a process that only takes a few minutes. 

Replace Weather Stripping

Inspect the weather stripping around your doors and windows. Weather stripping can degrade over time, becoming inflexible and then eventually breaking apart. Once it starts breaking apart, it can cause small gaps that an animal can easily fit through.

Caulk Any Gaps Around Doors

Around your door frame, gaps can open up over time. These gaps can be caulked. If there's a gap under your door, you may need to install a draft protector. There are plastic draft protectors that are glued on behind your door. This not only keeps pests out but also improves your home's insulation. 

Look in the Basement and Attic

There's a parable about a farmer who built a fence around his garden. Still, carrots kept going missing. After thinking about it, he realized that he had fenced a rabbit inside his garden. If mice are already inside your home, all that sealing up just sealed them in. Make sure to inspect your basement and attic for signs of existing infestation. Ideally, you should keep these areas dry and free of clutter. The less stuff you're storing in your basement or attic, the less likely it is that you'll experience an infestation.

If you still have mice around, you can consider either hiring an exterminator or purchasing humane traps. Alternatively, you can get a cat: while it may seem like a joke, the mere presence of a cat tends to run off rodents of all kinds. Call a professional for more help with sealing your home to prevent mice.

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