This photo was taken during a recent inspection of a home in Ottawa. The homeowner had been struggling with a mouse infestation for many years and had tried solving the problem using a number of different methods.

No matter what they tried they just couldn’t manage to keep their house free of mice for any length of time. Fed up, they decided to apply spray foam to a gap that existed between the bottom of the siding and the foundation. They believed this was the path that neighbourhood mice were taking to get into the basement.

Unfortunately, even after this drastic measure, they continued to see and hear mouse activity in their basement. Eventually they decided to call Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control Ottawa to get a second set of eyes on the situation.

How Mice Get into Homes

After spending some time with the homeowner to gather some information our technician began his inspection on the exterior. It didn’t take long to focus in on the basement window frames. Wanting to be sure that they were properly sealed on all four sides our technician got down in the snow for a closer look.

Low and behold, the top side of the basement windows had not been properly sealed at the time of installation and there was a gap that lead right into the basement. This is a common shortcut taken by builders and contractors who are more worried about water than mice when they build a home.

Contractors know that the opening they’ve left behind is protected against rain and snow by the siding over hang so they save themselves time and often leave the top side of the window frame wide open. Our technician was able to identify the window frame as the source of the problem because the white paint had been stained brown by the oils that coat mouse fur.

Mice have very oily fur that helps them squeeze into tight places. With time, repeated entry and exits cause a build up of grease that is easily recognized by trained mouse removal specialists. Judging from the amount of staining on the window frame corner this was a well worn path.

The homeowners never would have thought that only three sides of the window frame were sealed. They were so focused on the gap between the foundation and the siding that they didn’t even bother to look at the windows. You can even see the beginning of where they applied the spray foam in the photo, they missed the entry point by just inches.

Finding where and how mice are getting into a home takes skill and experience. Mice are able to fit into the smallest cracks and crevices found on the outside of homes. Even well-built, brand new homes can quickly develop mouse infestations because they just aren’t designed to keep them out.

Even though finding mice entry points is difficult, they do leave clues behind that a trained eye is able to pick up on.

Here are some common clues mice leave behind:

• Oil staining from fur
• Urine staining
• Droppings
• Fur
• Chewing

If you’re sick and tired of living with mice give Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control Ottawa a call and benefit from our decades of experience mouse proofing homes.

Call us today at Call us today – 613-231-2222!

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