Before you fall in love with the mice in your garage, remember that these small rodents can often do more damage than good. Chewing through things like plastic, wood, and electric wires (like the ones on your garage door opener can cause major issues.
A mice infestation should never be taken lightly. These small rodents are able to reproduce at alarming rates. Their babies are only carried in the womb for around 20 days and mature at around six weeks old. This means they can go one to have babies of their own, at up to 14 babies per litter. In this type of situation, a rodent infestation can quickly cause harm to your garage.
Before it gets to that point, read about our best tips on mice-proofing your garage. This will help prevent an infestation while not harming any animals during the process.
As we talk about our process, keep in mind insulation and organization. These are the main two points that will keep these nasty creatures away.
What to Do If Mice Are Already Here
Before being able to mice-proof your space, you must ensure that all the current mice have moved out.
Many people choose to use humane ways to exterminate mice; a humane approach favors relocating mice rather than killing them.
It’s common that poison or other deadly options are not viable as family pets or other animals can be harmed during the process.
Mice typically stick around if they feel safe and are being fed. One idea to humanely remove them is to cut off their food source and amp up the activity in your garage. If the mice notice more things happening in their space, they might begin to feel unsafe and leave on their own.
Using a humane mouse trap Is another great option if there is only one mouse to get rid of. This type of trap does not harm the animal but instead allows you to capture it and release it safely into the wild while using food to entice it.
Mice often make homes in places we might not expect.
If your family cat is in need of some hunting practice, try letting them into the garage to find the mice on their own. This can kill two birds with one stone and allow some feline fun as well.
Another piece of advice is bombarding them with smells they aren’t fond of. Some examples include white vinegar, peppermint, and others. This might force them out for a short time.
Soak different materials with these smells and place the “smell bombs” in the small parts of the garage where they might hide.
This will encourage the mice to leave for a short period of time, but they will most likely come back if the garage is not rodent proof.
How to Rodent-Proof
To ensure that mice and other small rodents don’t return to your garage, reorganize to better ensure there is no space for them to live, and make sure you are providing no food sources for them to live off of.
● De-clutter and organize everything
Be sure there are no small nooks for them to hide in.
● Seal all food containers
Any kind of birdseed, dog food, even trash can become a food source. Make sure this is sealed in airtight containers so the mice cannot eat anything.
● Keep all trash outside
Make sure the trash is kept outside of the garage in a sealed bin.
● If possible, keep any firewood outside the garage.
Small rodents love to use these dry, warm areas for nesting.
● Sweep often
This ensures that you’re keeping track of the state of the floors, walls, and crevices inside the garage.
Prevention Over Everything
Insulation is the next step. Being able to ensure that no mice will return will allow you to rest easy knowing your work is done.
Tree branches that are touching your roof can cause a beeline of rodents filing into your home. Be sure to trim any branches.
By trimming all branches that are close to your home, you can prevent squirrels from jumping to the roof.
Insulation is a great way to prevent rodents from gaining access.
Insulate Your Walls
Insulating your walls is a great strategy in preventing mice from nesting in them. Whether it be with mineral wool or foam, insulation is guaranteed to help.
It’s recommended that polyurethane spray foam be used when insulating the walls. Filling the space completely will prevent mice and other animals from being able to access the space. On top of that, polyurethane foam has different properties than the traditional icynene spray foam.
One downside to spray foam is that it’s not a rigid insulator. This means that the mice are able to travel through it if they really wanted to. One plus side is that this insulator is not a food source, so they have no interest in eating it. They could use it to build their nests, though.
To mice, polyurethane foam has a bitter taste. Tasting something unpleasant might cause them to turn away and find another thing to chew. It’s also known that some types of polyurethane foam can also contain a special rodent repellent.
Fill the Cracks
Steel or aluminum is almost impossible for mice to chew. On the other hand, it’s easy for them to chew on wood, plastic, and other surfaces. This is why it’s important to be knowledgeable of the materials in your spaces.
If you’re unable to renovate your entire space, just use spray foam to cover all the small holes.
The stiffness of the insulation doesn’t matter that much. In fact, some small rodents are known to chew on electrical wires and other strong insulators. Make sure that whatever insulator you choose, you’re able to fill all the holes completely. The goal is to leave the least possible amount of room so the mice cannot make a nest.
Ultimately, your garage door might be a larger issue than you might expect! Holes or unevenness with the ground can cause mice to enter unknowingly.
What type of garage door is best?
There are tons of things to consider when attempting to change your garage door. Think about what it’s most used for, the different models that are available, and any other details that might help in the decision-making process. Be sure to prioritize a door that will keep rodents out of your space.
It is best to choose a door that is not made of wood as small rodents can still get through. Things like metal or aluminum should be considered.
A garage door with good insulation is something to look out for. This will prevent the creatures from nesting inside the door.
All of our garage doors are made of galvanized steel. We prioritize this material since it’s impossible for mice to chew through.
The R-16 and R-12 construction garage door models, Standard+, Townships Collection, and Acadia 138, are made with polyurethane foam injected at high pressure into the metal structure. This insulator ensures that no rodents are able to enter the garage through this door.
The R-16 door is insulated with polyurethane foam.
Each door is custom-made for your home and comes with weatherstripping. Airflow is unable to enter to ensure the temperature of the garage is kept consistent. Don’t worry about rodents sneaking under the door either!
It’s time to change your garage door!
It’s possible that your garage door is the reason you’re finding mice in your home. If it’s time to upgrade your garage door, the experts at Gagnon Overhead Door Ltd. are happy to help. Find the new door that will satisfy your needs today. You can contact us at 506-858-7052 or via our website.
All of our high-quality garage doors will surely meet your needs, whether in their quality or their style. You can even create a unique model you like.
You can also ask for a free quotation to be received by email.
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