Mice are typically 6 – 9cm long (excluding their tails). They are light brown to dark grey in colour and weigh between 10 and 20 grams. They can access your home through the smallest of gaps and are able to squeeze through gaps the width of a biro! Your first indication might be the sound of scratching in your loft or the discovery of droppings. The droppings are dark brown and about the size of a grain of rice.
How have mice accessed my loft?
Mice will gain access to the cavity walls of a property through the smallest of gaps. Here they can make their way up to a roof space and from there, they can quite happily breed and forage the premises for food and water.
Are they are a risk?
Mice will urinate and defecate indiscriminately and almost continuously, producing up to 80 droppings per day. More worryingly is the damage they can cause. Their propensity to gnaw means they can gnaw through electrical wires causing expensive electrical faults and worse, electrical fires.
In short, yes, but please bear in mind they can squeeze through gaps the width of a pen! Quite often however, if the problem stems from the sewers, completely proofing a premises may prove cost prohibitive. Air vents should be covered with 3mm gauge perforated zinc plates. Gaps above 3mm around any window or door threshold should be filled or bristle stripped.
Finally, keep your home and garden clean, clutter free and free from food debris. Try using specialised bird feeders as opposed to sprinkling food waste on the garden for the birds. Only dispose of garden and vegetable waste in your compost bin (no cereals or meats). If you have a problem with mice and you can’t control the infestation yourself, then give us a call.
