If you are dealing with rodents, the first step is figuring out how they are getting inside. Learning how to find out where rodent entry points in your home protects your family from health risks and prevents costly damage. Since rodents can squeeze through gaps as small as a dime, even tiny openings can put your home at risk.
How to Identify Rodent Entry Points
Rodents often leave clues behind near their entryways. Look for droppings along baseboards, grease marks on walls, gnaw marks on wood or insulation, shredded nesting materials, and scratching noises in walls or ceilings. These signs help you narrow down where to start your inspection.
Where Rodents Commonly Get In
When learning how to identify and prevent rodent entry points in your home, focus your inspection on the most vulnerable areas:
- Cracks in foundations and basement walls
- Gaps around doors, garage doors, and window frames
- Openings around plumbing lines, vents, and utility connections
- Attic vents, roof edges, and uncovered chimneys
These are the most frequent entry points and should be inspected both inside and outside your home.
Sealing Rodent Entry Points
Once identified, these openings must be sealed with durable materials that rodents cannot chew through. Caulk and spray foam may seem like quick fixes, but mice and rats can easily gnaw through them and reopen the entry point. For small gaps, tightly pack steel wool and secure it with caulk to hold it in place. Larger holes around pipes, vents, or foundations should be covered with wire mesh or hardware cloth, which provides a long-lasting barrier. Cracks in concrete or masonry can be repaired with mortar or cement, while gaps around doors and windows should be reinforced with high-quality weather stripping or door sweeps. After sealing, it is important to re-inspect the area from both inside and outside to ensure nothing has been overlooked. A follow-up check after a few days can also confirm that no new signs of rodent activity appear.
Preventing Future Infestations
Sealing is only part of the solution. Prevention also means reducing the factors that attract rodents in the first place. Rodents are opportunistic and will settle anywhere they can find food, water, and shelter. Storing food in airtight containers and cleaning crumbs promptly removes easy food sources. Outdoor garbage bins should always be tightly closed, since open or overflowing bins are one of the most common attractants. Around the yard, trimming trees, shrubs, and grass prevents rodents from using vegetation as cover or a bridge to your roofline. Inside the home, keeping storage areas organized and reducing clutter makes it harder for rodents to find safe nesting spots. Finally, scheduling seasonal inspections ensures that new gaps or vulnerabilities are caught before they become major issues, giving you long-term protection year after year.
Protect Your Home Year-Round
By learning how to identify and prevent rodent entry points in your home, you can stop infestations before they begin. For extra peace of mind, One Man & A Ladybug provides pest control solutions tailored to Calgary homes. Contact us today to schedule your inspection and keep rodents out for good.