Tips For Keeping Rodents Out Of Your Family's Mountain Cabin

If you are having a problem with squirrels, mice, and rats getting into your summer cabin in the mountains during the times that your family isn't using it, then you will be happy to learn there are many things you can do to keep the rodents out of your space. Keeping these small hairy critters out of your cabin is very important because they can carry rabies and other diseases that can harm you, your children, and your pets. 

Follow these tips to rid your mountain retreat of rodents once and for all:

Tip: Find and Close Cracks or Gaps in Your Cabin's Exterior Surfaces

Inspect the entire outside of your cabin and look for any areas where you can see cracks or gaps. Rodents can climb through even very tiny open areas between walls or around doors. Any gaps that you find need to be completely sealed closed to keep the rodents out. You can seal the gaps using silicone caulking or by pushing steel wool pads into them. 

Tip: Never Leave Your Stove Pipe or Chimney Open When You Leave Your Cabin

When you leave your mountain cabin to head back home, make sure that you always place a cover over its stove pipe or chimney. If you do not cover the hole from the fireplace or even kitchen vents, then rodents can climb through them to get into your cabin. Even an inexpensive bucket placed over the stove pipe will work wonderfully to keep out rodents when you aren't visiting.

Tip: Remove All Landscaping from Around the Foundation of Your Cabin

Mice and rats use plants as cover from predators to move from place to place and they also like to run along fences and foundations. For this reason, if you have landscaping plants or grasses that are growing along your cabin's foundation or any fences or garage buildings that are present, then you need to cut the vegetation back. Ideally, you should clear at least a foot of space between your buildings and your landscaping. When the rodents no longer have safe places to travel, they will naturally go elsewhere because they are opportunistic by nature. 

Tip: Seek the Help of a Professional Pest Control Company

Finally, if you are unable to determine where the rodents are entering into your cabin and every visit you find signs of their presence, then you should contact a local pest control company. Just as professional pest control technicians can rid your home of termites, so too can they get rid of your cabin's rodent problem.