It can be frustrating to find mice in your house, but it's even worse to see a mouse. The real question is: how did it get in? If an entry point is still open, the removal of mice may only be temporary because other mice can continue to enter the house.
There are numerous potential places for a home in Burnaby to let water in, such as around pipes, garage doors, vents, foundations, roofs, and utility lines. Knowing how to locate them is an important component of long-term rodent prevention.
This guide describes what you can do as a Canadian homeowner to check your home for mice, learn how to tell if mice are in your house, and make your home less attractive to mice.
Why Finding the Entry Point Matters
Mice can squeeze through incredibly small cracks! According to British Columbia, mice can squeeze through holes that are the size of a pencil, which is 6 mm in diameter.
This can mean that a small gap in a door that may seem unnoticeable to a homeowner is big enough for a mouse to crawl through.
However, locating traps where mice have been spotted is not always the solution and is a temporary measure. The best strategy is to remove and prevent access to areas where mice are likely to breed and/or locate.
As Burnaby homeowners investigate mice control, the first step is to find these entry points.
*Start With Signs of Mouse Activity *
Before inspecting the entire exterior, look at where you have already noticed signs of mice.
Common indicators include:
Small dark droppings
Gnaw marks
Scratching sounds
Nesting materials
Greasy marks along frequently used paths
Damaged food packaging
A noticeable musty or urine-like odour
Mice appearing near walls or cupboards
Fresh droppings can help identify areas where mice are currently active. Pay particular attention to kitchens, pantries, garages, basements, utility rooms, and areas around appliances.
If activity is concentrated along one wall or near a particular room, inspect the exterior portion of that wall for possible openings.
Inspect the Exterior of Your Burnaby Home
Once you know where mice are active indoors, move outside and inspect the corresponding areas.
Walk slowly around the entire foundation rather than checking only the location where you found droppings.
Check the Foundation
Look for cracks, gaps, holes, and damaged areas around the foundation. Pay special attention to places where different building materials meet.
Even a small opening can become an access route if it connects to a larger cavity inside the wall.
Older homes may require particular attention because settling, weather exposure, and previous repairs can create small gaps over time.
Examine Utility Entry Points
Pipes, cables, wires, and other utilities often enter homes through exterior walls. These locations can leave small spaces around the penetration.
Inspect around:
Plumbing pipes
Electrical cables
Gas lines
Air-conditioning lines
Internet and telecommunications cables
Outdoor electrical fixtures
Look for missing sealant, deteriorated caulking, or visible gaps.
Check Doors and Garage Doors
Doors are another common area to inspect.
A mouse does not necessarily need a large hole in the wall if there is a gap underneath an exterior door.
Close the door and look along the bottom edge. If you can see daylight underneath or there is damaged weather stripping, the opening may deserve attention.
Garage doors are particularly important because they are frequently opened and closed and can develop worn seals.
Inspect the rubber seal along the bottom and sides of the garage door. Also check the corners where the garage door meets the wall.
Inspect Vents and Openings
Exterior vents can provide necessary ventilation, but they can also create potential access points if screens or covers are damaged.
Check dryer vents, bathroom exhaust vents, attic vents, crawl-space vents, and other openings.
Look for broken screens, loose covers, or gaps around the edges.
Do not block vents simply to prevent mice. Ventilation systems need to function properly, and any repair should maintain the intended airflow.
Look Around the Roof and Eaves
Mice are primarily associated with ground-level entry points, but higher parts of a home should not be ignored.
Inspect areas around:
Roof penetrations
Eaves
Fascia
Soffits
Attic vents
Chimneys
Roof-to-wall junctions
Tree branches close to the house can also make exterior inspection more difficult and provide cover for rodents.
Keeping vegetation maintained around the building makes it easier to identify damage and potential openings.
Check the Basement and Crawl Space
Basements and crawl spaces deserve special attention because they often contain plumbing, electrical connections, vents, and foundation walls.
Use a flashlight and inspect corners, pipe penetrations, floor drains, and areas where the foundation meets framing.
Look for droppings, nesting material, gnawing, or dark rub marks.
If you find several signs concentrated in one location, trace the area toward the nearest exterior wall or opening.
Follow the Mouse's Travel Route
Mice often move along walls and other protected surfaces rather than crossing open areas.
If you notice droppings along the edge of a wall, under cabinets, or behind appliances, follow that route.
For example, if you repeatedly find droppings behind a refrigerator, inspect nearby wall penetrations and utility openings. If activity is concentrated beneath a kitchen sink, examine the plumbing penetrations inside the cabinet and the corresponding exterior wall.
This process can help connect indoor evidence with a possible exterior entry point.
Look for Gnaw Marks and Rub Marks
Physical damage can provide useful clues.
Mice may gnaw on cardboard, wood, insulation, plastic, and other materials. Fresh gnawing can indicate an active route or nesting area.
You may also notice dark or greasy marks along frequently used paths. These marks can develop as rodents repeatedly travel against surfaces.
Do not rely on a single sign, however. Droppings, noises, damage, and the location of activity are more useful when considered together.
How to Seal a Mouse Entry Point
Once you identify a potential opening, the next step is to seal it using a durable material appropriate for the location.
For small gaps, homeowners may use suitable metal mesh or other rodent-resistant materials combined with an appropriate sealant. Larger structural openings may require a more substantial repair.
Avoid relying solely on soft materials that rodents can easily chew through.
Before sealing an opening, make sure you understand whether mice are currently using it. Sealing an active route without considering where the animals are located can create additional problems.
Don't Forget the Yard
Mouse prevention does not stop at the exterior wall.
Look around the property for conditions that can encourage rodents to remain nearby.
Potential attractants include:
Unsecured garbage
Bird seed
Pet food
Fallen fruit
Dense vegetation
Wood piles
Yard debris
Outdoor storage
Compost
Keeping these areas organized and reducing available food and shelter can make the property less attractive to rodents.
When DIY Inspection Isn't Enough
Sometimes the entry point is obvious. Other times, mice may be entering through concealed structural spaces that are difficult to access.
If you continue finding fresh droppings, hearing scratching inside walls, or seeing mice after sealing obvious openings, there may be another access point that has not been identified.
A professional mice control Burnaby service can help investigate recurring activity, identify likely entry routes, and develop a prevention-focused treatment plan.
This can be particularly useful in older homes, properties with crawl spaces, or buildings where mice are repeatedly appearing despite previous control efforts.
Final Thoughts
Finding where mice are entering your Burnaby home requires more than looking for one large hole. Because mice can use openings as small as about 6 mm, homeowners should inspect foundations, utility penetrations, doors, garages, vents, roofs, crawl spaces, and other vulnerable areas.
Start by identifying where mouse activity is occurring inside, then trace those areas toward the exterior. Look for droppings, gnaw marks, nesting materials, gaps, and damaged seals.
Once the likely entry points are identified, combine proper exclusion with good sanitation and property maintenance. Taking these steps can make your home less accessible and less attractive to mice, helping reduce the chances of recurring rodent problems.
