Mice pose a variety of risks to homeowners and should be taken seriously. Despite their tiny size, mice can cause substantial damage to home, property and health. In this article I will explore the six most important risks around mice that all homeowners should be aware of.
Contamination of food
When rodents nest inside of your home, they require a food source in order to stay alive. More often than not, this is the kitchen. Mice can travel throughout the house inside of the walls. They often enter the kitchen underneath the sink or behind appliances, such as your oven, fridge and dishwasher. This provides them with easy access to all kinds of delicious foods. Unfortunately, while feeding in your kitchen, mice will spread a variety of diseases and filth throughout the home which can potentially make you and your family sick. If you find any signs of mice around food, it is better to be safe than sorry and dispose of any potentially contaminated food.
Droppings & urine
Throughout the course of a single day, mice will produce between 40 and 100 droppings. Every single day. These droppings can be very dangerous to human health, as some rodents are infected with hantavirus. If proper steps are not followed when cleaning up rodent droppings, particles can become airborne and be inhaled by humans. It is important to follow proper rodent cleanup procedures in order to minimize your chances of contracting hantavirus and other diseases.
Urine and droppings can also end up in food storage, food prep areas, pet food, children’s play areas and many other places throughout the home. Droppings and urine should be handled with care in order to minimize the risks to humans and pets.
Fire
Every year, mice cause fires in homes around the world. It is estimated that mice are responsible for up to 20% of undetermined fires.[1]https://www.nyfireinvestigator.com/articles/preventing-rodent-electrical-fires Mice will chew on electrical wires which causes short circuits and starts fires. Any home that has mice inside of the walls is at risk of having a fire start at any moment. This is another reason why we recommend that all homes have regular pest control done in order to minimize risks to the home and property.
Damage to vehicles
Mice will look for warm places to hide for the winter, and your vehicle can make a perfect spot – especially when left outside or in unheated garages. They will seek refuge from the cold in warm engine bays after driving your vehicle. Rodent’s teeth do not stop growing, so they must continually chew on things in order to keep them at a comfortable size. They will chew on wiring and other plastic components of your vehicle, causing substantial damage and costly repairs.
Damage to appliances
Mice will find ways to get inside various appliances, such as washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and more. Once inside, they will gnaw on pipes, wiring and other components which can cause damage and even destroy the appliances, leading to a costly repair or costly replacement cost.
Damage to electrical wiring
Mice prefer to live away from human activity inside of the home. The will often
live inside of attics, basements and walls, giving them access to exposed electrical wiring. As mentioned earlier, mice must continually chew on things in order to reduce the size of their ever-growing teeth. Mice will chew on electrical wires and damage them. Depending on where these wires are located in the house, they can be quite expensive to locate and repair.
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