Mice Come in Through Howell, NJ Basement
Challenge
Recently, I was sent to a home in Howell, NJ to resolve a mouse infestation. Mice, as they often do, found an entry point into the home’s basement. Mice generally enter through some gap, crack, or opening around the foundation and, once inside, travel through wall voids to access other areas of the home, especially the kitchen to forage for food. Often homeowners don’t see the mice themselves. They are nocturnal and like to do their foraging at night when the house is quiet. However, they are messy rodents and inevitably leave behind a trail of activity. Here, the homeowner found mouse droppings on top of their washer/dryer and on the surrounding floor space.
Solution
During rodent inspections, my concern is locating potential entry points. Mice can enter an opening the diameter of a dime, so to find them you must be systematic and through. During my inspection of the basement, I look for “daylight.” If the sun’s rays can poke through an opening, so most likely, can a mouse. Here, I found some daylight entering through an opening around the door frame. During my inspection of the home’s exterior perimeter, I also found an opening around a basement window frame. This opening was right above the washer/dryer where droppings were left behind. This was their likely entry point. I patched up the openings and treated the basement for mice. With the treatment and access points sealed, this homeowner’s mice troubles should be over.
