Much like gifts are to a tree, mice are to Christmas. As we giggle and laugh at their silly antics during Christmas television shows, we can easily overlook the potentially dangerous situations they can lead to. Understandably, it is hard to see a mouse past its cute, food-filled cheeks and tiny cheese-holding hands. That is until it creates catastrophic and irreversible damages to our homes.

It is hard to believe that a mouse could take down an entire home, but it happens. As mice settle in for the winter, they will be raiding your home for materials for their nests. Along the way, they will chew easily through wires, insulation, cardboard boxes, wood, sheetrock and anything else they can get their little not-so-little teeth into. As they expose wires and tear building materials into the perfect tinder, you can assume they are quick to create a major fire hazard. While a fire hazard should be a major concern, we mustn't forget about the other dangers they pose. As mice chew through piping and exterior walls they can create the potential for water damage as well.

Aside from a mouse’s destructive nature, there are many other issues that they can present. Mice are known to carry many different diseases. Salmonellosis, hantavirus, and leptospirosis are among some of the common diseases that mice can spread through your home and family by leaving urine and droppings as they go. All of these microbes are linked to major illness. Along with disease, mice often bring fleas and ticks when they come adding insult to injury.

Preventing a mouse infestation can be hard, so here are a few tips that may help.

• Eliminate all food and water sources. Mice are often attracted to the ease of living in a human home. Food scraps, crumbs, water etc. are easily found and make for an easy overwinter stay.

• Always seal any holes, cracks, or openings in the exterior of your home. Caulking alone they may just chew through, so stuffing steel wool into cracks and cementing it with caulk is your best bet to prevent reopening of mouse-sized doors.

• Regularly remove trash from your home and make sure it is equipped with a tight lid if it is stored outside.

Mice might show up prominently in the winter, but as we know, they can be a problem throughout the year. Thomas Pest Services understands the importance of ridding your house of rodents as well as keeping it that way. With our Complete Care Plan, we will provide interior and exterior treatments as well as monitor all living areas including the basement and attic. We will also take care of any droppings that are present, implement proven exclusion methods, and implement other measures to reassure you that your home is pest free. Our Complete Care Plan not only focuses on rodents but will include the extermination of other common household pests as well. Trust Thomas Pest Services this holiday season, and going forward, to keep your home pest-free, which will provide peace of mind and comfort for years to come.