Rodent Entry Sealing and Exclusion in Colorado Springs

Trapping handles the mice that are inside today. Sealing handles next October. In a place where the first freeze sends mice indoors every year, the second job matters more than the first.

The work is mostly low on the house, done with metal mesh, sealant, flashing and door seals. A good provider will show you the gaps before they quote the work.

Where the gaps usually are

Per the CDC, a dime-sized hole is all some rodents need. On Springs houses, these come up again and again:

• Garage door bottom seals and the corners where the door meets the frame
• Where the gas line, AC line set and hose bibs go through the wall
• Dryer vents and bath fan vents with broken flaps
• Gaps along the sill plate and foundation, especially on older homes
• Crawl space vents and access doors
• Gaps where siding or stucco meets the foundation

What gets used

Mice and rats chew foam and plastic. Metal holds up. Expect hardware cloth over vents, metal mesh stuffed into pipe gaps and sealed over, metal flashing at foundation gaps, door sweeps and a new garage door bottom seal. Pack rats are persistent chewers, so homes near pack rat country need sturdier work.

Cracks in stucco or brick near the ground are worth patching too. Big ones are worth showing to a contractor.

Timing and order

Late summer is the best time, before the fall push. If mice are already inside, the provider should trap first and seal after, or leave one exit with a one-way door. Seal them in and they'll chew their way somewhere you don't want them.

Sheds, barns and outbuildings need the same attention, especially on acreage. See barns, sheds and outbuildings.

Related rodent jobs: Mouse Removal, Attic and Nest Cleanup, Mice and Pack Rats in Garages and Vehicles

Available in Briargate, Rockrimmon, Black Forest, Monument and Tri-Lakes, Falcon and Peyton, Broadmoor and Cheyenne Cañon, Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City and the West Side, Fountain, Security-Widefield, Powers and Stetson Hills.