A Seasonal Rodent-Proofing Walk-Around for Your House.

• Bring a flashlight, a pencil, gloves and your phone.
• Go in daylight, when you can see edges and shadows.
• Stay off roofs and out of hot attics unless you can do so safely.
• Take photos so you can compare from one season to the next.

• Under sinks: check pipe holes and look for droppings.
• Behind the stove and refrigerator: look for droppings and gnawing.
• Pantry and cabinets: look for chewed packaging.
• Laundry area: check the dryer vent and utility entries.
• Attic hatch: peek in if it is safe and look for droppings or nesting material.

• Close the door and check the bottom and corner seals for daylight.
• Look along the base of walls for droppings and rub marks.
• Check stored boxes, bags and bedding for chewing.
• Look at where wires and pipes enter.

More on this in our garage and lower-level rodent control page.

• Look at vents and their covers, including attic, dryer and bath vents.
• Check weep holes, cracks and gaps at the base of walls.
• Look for branches, fronds or wires that touch the roof.
• Check pet food, birdseed, fallen fruit and trash for easy access.
• Check irrigation tubing and wires for gnawing.

Gaps that are low and easy to reach can be sealed with mesh and sealant. Roof edges, tile ends and high vents are harder and riskier. A professional can close them, using materials that rodents cannot chew. See rodent exclusion for how that works.

Do not seal a gap if you think an animal is inside.

Droppings, gnawing, nests or a smell all count. Photograph them, leave them in place if you can and follow safe cleanup steps when you do clean. If the signs are fresh, call.

An inspection will name the animal and map the entry points. The walk-around is your early warning, and the inspection is the confirmation.

The best routine is one you will actually do. Put it on the calendar with the seasons, pick a day when you will be home anyway and keep the flashlight and gloves in one place.

Compare photos with the last time. A new stain, a new hole or a new patch of gnawing stands out when you can see the old picture beside it. Share the photos if you call for a visit, and the technician can see what changed.

Most of what you find on a walk-around is minor. A few findings are worth an immediate call, because they point to active animals or a safety risk.

• Fresh droppings that reappear after you clean them.
• Gnawed wiring or a burned smell near an outlet or appliance.
• A strong smell with no visible source.
• Scratching in the ceiling or wall on more than one night.
• A nest of shredded material or sticks in a vehicle, shed or garage.

Say what you found, where and when it started. The person on the line will tell you what to do while you wait, and what to avoid touching.

Write down the date, what you checked and anything you saw. A list of three lines is enough. If a problem appears later, the record shows when it started, which helps the technician.