Rodent Proofing:
How to Keep Mice and Rats Out

Rodents like mice and rats can cause significant damage to your home while also spreading diseases. Effective rodent proofing is essential to prevent infestations and protect your property. This guide provides expert strategies, facts, and tips on keeping your home rodent-free.

Why Rodent Proofing is Essential

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rodents are responsible for spreading more than 35 diseases, including hantavirus, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis. They also cause costly structural damage by gnawing on wires, insulation, and wooden supports.

How Do Rodents Enter Homes?

Rodents can squeeze through openings as small as:

1/4 inch (about the size of a dime) for mice
1/2 inch (about the size of a nickel) for rats

Common entry points include gaps around doors, vents, utility pipes, and foundation cracks.

Rodent Proofing Strategies

1. Seal All Entry Points

Use the following materials to block access points:

Steel wool – Rodents cannot chew through it.
Caulk – Seals small cracks and crevices.
Metal mesh – Covers vents and larger openings.

2. Eliminate Food Sources

Store food in airtight containers and clean up crumbs immediately. Garbage should be kept in tightly sealed bins.

3. Reduce Clutter

Reduce Clutter to prevent potential nesting sites. Keep attics, basements, and storage areas tidy. Remove debris and trim overgrown vegetation near your home.

4. Maintain Proper Sanitation

Regularly clean areas where food is prepared and consumed. Fix leaky pipes to eliminate water sources that attract rodents.

Types of Rodents

Mice and rats are common problem. Rodents cause fires by gnawing on electrical wires, transmit pathogens, and are associated with allergens and asthma triggers. Rodents should not be tolerated . Effective, low hazard options are available to eliminate rodents.

Mouse problems can occur at any time of year but especially in the fall when outdoor temperatures begin to cool. Open access points as small as 1/4 inch in diameter for mice and 1/2 inch for rats act like beacons, attracting rodents with warm air and food smells.

Roof rats prefer areas off the ground and are good climbers. They prosper in attics, roof spaces, and ornamental shrubbery. Roof rats generally enter buildings from overhanging trees or power lines. Norway rats are burrowers and thrive in environments where there is clutter or garbage. They burrow along foundations and under debris. They are good swimmers and may enter buildings through plumbing access points. The home range of these rats may be as much as 50 yards.

Best Approach for Rodent Control

Newtown Pest Control takes the best approach for rodent control that includes thorough inspection, sanitation, and exclusion.

Rodents can cause damage by chewing wood and other items. They have also been known to start fires by gnawing on electrical wires. They carry many different kinds of diseases and bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.

Rats are active at night. If they are seen during the day, there is likely a large population, scarcity of food, or illness within the population. They defecate wherever they go, so droppings will be spread across their foraging area.

Rats & Mice
House Mouse (Mus musculus)	Roof Rat (Rattus rattus)	Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Moderately high reproductive rates: 6-10 litters (5-6 babies) per female 18-21 day gestation period; weaned at 21 days, mating at 6-10 weeks Family may consist of 15-20 individuals with multiple breeding females Tend to disperse when crowded Live outside during summer; do not hibernate Nest in warm areas close to food Need very little water Active mostly at night (nocturnal)	Moderate reproductive capacity: 3-4 litters of 4-8 pups Adults can live 5-18 months Nocturnal and secretive; can remain undetected for long periods Prefer mature vegetation, vines, trees for harborage Most frequently nests above ground	Moderately high reproductive rates: 8-9 pups per litter, weaned in about a month Female may produce 20+ pups Omnivorous, opportunistic feeder: feeds on anything humans eat (0.5-1 oz per day) Hoards and transports food, which can lead to bait translocation issues Requires water daily (1-2 oz) Typical family unit: dominant male, breeding female, and up to 12 juveniles

Professional Rodent-Proofing

If you've noticed signs of rodent activity, professional exclusion services can provide long-term solutions. At Newtown Termite & Pest Control, we specialize in sealing entry points and implementing customized rodent-proofing strategies.