Warning for Mice Invasions: Winter Removal of Rodents in Oakville

As winter settles in Oakville, many residents start to notice some patterns that they would rather not. Scratching sounds inside the walls and above the bedroom ceiling, tiny black droppings in kitchen drawers, behind the stove, and under the kitchen sink, and bags in the pantry partially chewed are all clues that the winter season of both January and February is bringing growing problems to this local community and other surrounding areas. The Winter Rodent Warning highlights that mice infestations are both prevalent in winter and at their peak.

Important Points:

• January and February are some of the coldest months in Oakville, and as snow becomes prevalent and temperatures decrease, natural food sources are limited, causing mice to search for warm pockets of safety and reliable food sources in homes.
• Mice can enter homes through holes the size of a dime, with typical entry points being cracks in the foundation, gaps around utilities and their lines, or openings around doors and windows.
• A female mouse can have 5–10 litters in a year, and each litter can have as many as 6 babies, meaning a single pair of mice can reproduce into a colony of dozens within a matter of weeks.
• Mice are capable of carrying diseases, including salmonella, leptospirosis, and hantavirus, through their droppings, urination, and saliva, and can cause damage by chewing electrical wiring, wooden structures, insulation, and sometimes furniture.
• Professional rodent removal services provide a multi-faceted approach, including inspection, exclusion (sealing entry points), cleanup and removal, and prevention guidance to keep homes rodent-free for long-term results.
• DIY methods like traps or poison treat symptoms, not causes, and as long as access points are available, there will always be more mice trying to enter.

Why Would Mice Invade Human Homes in January and February?

As with most pests, mice are survivors and opportunistic. As natural food sources become sparse and outdoor temperatures decline, mice invade residences for warmth, shelter, dryness, and food. Homes in Oakville, and especially older homes or those with unsealed cracks and openings, are suitable locations for winter rodent refuge.

Entry points are often small and easily overlooked. Mice can enter homes through holes the size of a dime. Typical entry points are cracks in the foundation, weep holes, space between soffit and walls, and gaps around utilities and their lines, or openings around doors and windows. Indeed, garages, attics, and basements are typically some of the simplest entrance areas that connect to the main living area of your home.

Once they are inside, mice easily locate a comfortable area to stay in and reproduce. A female mouse can have from 5 to 10 litters in a year, and each litter can have as many as 6 babies. In other words, a single pair of mice can reproduce into a colony of dozens within a matter of weeks.

The Dangers of Mice in Your Home

Mice may not look dangerous, but they have the potential to be dangerous and convince you that they are harmless.

First, they are capable of carrying disease. Mice will shed multiple different viruses in their droppings, urine, and saliva, including salmonella, leptospirosis, and hantavirus. Any time they are in the vicinity of a food preparation area, it is an imminent danger to your family’s health.

Second, mice can cause damage. Mice know that they must chew all of the time or their teeth will continue to grow. As they chew, they can damage electrical wiring, wooden structures, insulation, and most of the furniture. The threat of an electrical fire caused by damaged electrical wires has been documented in numerous homes.

Third, mice cause contamination. Mice will often nest in insulation or stored materials and then leave feces or soiled nesting material behind that is very hard to clean up after infestation. They also carry their feces and urine into the fabric or drywall material, leading to long-lasting odors and potential damage in time.

Signs of Mice

Being proactive means identifying the early signs of an infestation. There are some common indications that mice are present.

• Droppings resembling black grains of rice that are often found on baseboards or in drawers and cubbies and under the kitchen sink.
• Sounds occurring at night, like scratching (teeth filing) or scuttling behind walls or in the ceiling.
• Chewed food packaging or slight bite marks on furniture or wiring.
• Nesting material made from papers, curtains, clothing, or insulation has been built, usually at a wall or other hiding place like the attic.
• Foul, musty odor in enclosed areas or closed-off rooms.

Why DIY Does Not Work

Some homeowners will attempt to handle their rodent issues on their own with traps or poison. Even if these strategies get some mice, they will not solve the main root problem. Most DIY kits do not find entry points. If you eliminated some mice, more will just start to move in.

Using poisons, if not handled by a professional exterminator, can also be dangerous for pets and small children. Not to mention, improperly used and too much poison, especially the ones you buy at the hardware store, will create secondary issues. For example, the mice die in your walls, the mice decompose, thus smell, and attract insects.

The true issue is the colony. Traps and poison are treating symptoms, not causes. As long as exterior access points are available to be discovered, there will always be more mice. And as long as there are nests, there will be more mice to keep breeding.

Why Certified Professional Rodent Control Works Better

A professional rodent removal service is typically a multi-faceted approach including:

• Inspection: A trained certified technician will use tools and experience to perform an inspection of an entry point, nests, and paths to their movement.
• Exclusion: This is limiting access points by sealing up all points of entry using strong materials mice cannot chew through. Steel wool, strong caulk, and metal flashing are meant to be utilized correctly.
• Cleanup and Removal: The trained professional will participate in cleanup of the contaminated material and safely set proper traps to ensure that all rodents and nests are removed from the home properly.
• Prevention: The professional exterminator will provide you with guidance and recommendations for services to keep your home free of rodents long-term.

What to Expect for Your Service Pest Control Call

If you contact an exterminator, there will generally be a few steps in the process.

• Phone Consult: This step typically begins with a phone call where you provide them a brief description of what you saw or experienced. Based on this phone call, the pest control company will follow up with an appointment.
• On-Site Visit: On the day of the appointment, the certified technician will survey the inside of the home and the building in general, including attics, crawlspaces, and outside perimeters.
• Plan of Action: Then, the exterminator will develop a plan that outlines what they are going to do depending on the severity and location of the infestation. This may include placing snap traps, ministry-approved bait stations, or live mechanical traps, depending on the severity of your infestation.
• Follow-up Visit: Good insured and bonded pest control providers will follow up and schedule either one or what is often more than one visit to stop active rodent activity and confirm no new mice have returned to the home.

 Stopping Mice from Coming Back

Once you have rid your home of mice, the next step is to work toward prevention. Here are a few simple steps to improve your protection against mice:

• Seal any cracks/holes in your exterior foundation, walls, and roofline, and block all weep holes with wide gaps
• Use weather stripping for doors and window frames
• Store food and dry goods in glass, strong plastic or metal containers with lids that seal very tightly
• Store outside garbage bins away from the house, and use animal-proof lids
• Trim back shrubs and tree branches that touch or hang over the roof

Choosing a Quality Pest Control Company Local to Oakville

Not all pest control companies have the same protocol. In your pursuit for a pest control provider, look for a company that:

• Is licensed and insured
• Provides a warranty on their work
• Has favorable reviews from local clients
• Uses safe and eco-friendly product options
• Provides a preventative pest control program or emergency service calls at your convenience when requested

Final Thoughts

January in Oakville can be a difficult month for homeowners with the advancing rise of rodents in colder months. Mice infestations can escalate very quickly to a health risk and damage to your property. The safest and most effective option is to resolve a mouse infestation quickly and professionally so you can reclaim your space and safeguard your overall investment in your precious home.

Don’t let the small signs of a mouse problem escalate into a bigger issue for you and your family. The quicker you act, the easier it will be to resolve the situation. Oakville residents experiencing rodent issues should not wait to contact a pest control professional before their situation worsens. Prevention, quick prompt action, and a qualified professional are your best friends in a high-risk time of year for rodent issues.

Need Professional Help with Mice Invasions in Oakville?

If you’re dealing with mice infestations in your Oakville home, don’t wait for the problem to get much worse. Maximum Pest Control Services’ insured and bonded trained team offers rapid, effective, and guaranteed mice extermination services throughout Southern Ontario.

Call (905) 582-5502 today for an inspection and quote.

Our licensed, insured, and bonded exterminators serve Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, Milton, Mississauga, and Scarborough, with same-day service available. Call Today!