Mice Infestation can be a Headache for Martha's Vineyard Property Owners

10/15/2015 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Upper Cape Cod and The Islands has the training, protective gear, and equipment necessary to safely clean and restore mice infestation.

Mice infestation can be a headache for property owners on Cape Cod and the Islands. With the cooler days of autumn come the chores of raking leaves and cleaning the gutters for the winter. Storing outdoor furniture and stacking wood are other essentials for preparing for the colder season. Lastly, we make sure that everything is properly secured in our backyards for those foul weathered days on the way. Humans are not the only ones who prepare for the upcoming season. Our dogs prepare by putting on their winter coats; some wildlife get ready by storing up food for the colder days.  Some—mice, for example—will plan for the upcoming winter by finding a cozy place to build their nests. And that often results in a problem for property owners. Tips: What you can do until help arrives.

Because these rodents are without a skeletal system, they can easily maneuver into tiny spaces to gain entrance to a building. Once they are in, they get behind walls, in attics, basements and crawlspaces where fluffy pink insulation provides the ideal spot for nesting. If you think rabbits multiply, mice can double in population just as easily, quickly infesting a building.

Once you begin to see evidence of mice infestation—usually in the form of tiny black feces no bigger than a sesame seed or holes chewed out of food containers in the pantry—you are going to have to address the problem. While getting rid of one or two mice is a one-person job, getting rid of many requires the expertise of a professional.  While exterminators can come in and eradicate the property of the mice infestation, that is where their job ends—leaving the property owner with the cleanup. And if there were a significant number of mice inside the structure, the damage and the cleanup are going to be far more than just picking up a few droppings or throwing out food from the pantry.

We have been called onto jobs where a mice infestation had occurred, practically establishing an entire condominium complex inside the rafters of the basement.  They damaged the insulation and contaminated large portions of the property. Our team came in removed the killed rodents—exterminators usually set traps that contain poison that once eaten kill the creatures immediately which leaves a pungent odor. We also disposed of their feces and any contaminated insulation. Lastly, we sanitized the framing and studs and replaced the insulation, making it “Like it never even happened.”

Hint: If you suspect a mice infestation, contact a professional immediately.

How To Deter Mice From Entering Your Home

·      Install door sweeps on exterior doors and seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home or building.

·      Do not leave doors open and this includes the bulkhead.

·      Keep trash in secure buckets outside & away from the              house.

·      Dispose of trash on a regular basis.

·      Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home or building.