How to Conduct an Exterior Inspection of your Deck and What to do Next

How to Conduct an Exterior Inspection of your Deck and What to do Next?

Decks are known to harbor all kinds of pests. Skunks, opossums, raccoons, and mice will happily live under a deck if given the opportunity. Rats will burrow beneath them to get into the house! Giving your deck a good inspection is an excellent first step in pest-proofing the home. For professional pest-proofing and mouse removal, call Mouse Control Toronto.

To inspect your deck, look very carefully underneath it. Check the foundation of the home, underneath the deck, for any visible cracks or signs of damage. Fixing these issues will prevent mice and rats from crawling into the home. You can fix cracks in the foundation with a cement mixture or caulking. Another thing you should do to pest-proof is to remove leaves and other debris from underneath the deck. Make sure that your gutters and downspouts do not face the deck, either. Then, fix a wooden lattice to the bottom sides of the deck. For added protection, staple a steel mesh to the back of the lattice. Make sure that the lattice is entrenched a few inches in the ground and screwed into the deck.

If you’re worried about pests, you should pest-proof the yard and the interior of the home as well. Mice and other rodents are attracted to yards that are unkept, so be sure to mow the lawn regularly and pull weeds when you can. Remove any scrap you may have lying around and move firewood away from the walls of the home. If you like to feed the birds, store bird seed in sealed containers and switch to hanging feeders, away from tree branches. Use lidded garbage cans and always clean up after eating outside. If you have fruit trees, pick up their fruit as soon as they’ve fallen.

Similar habits inside the home are just as helpful. Store all your pantry goods in tightly sealed containers and don’t leave any food out overnight. Clean and vacuum regularly. Mice and rats are attracted to kitchens, basements, garages, and attics, so keep these areas tidy. Check the walls of the home for any cracks or gaps that mice could squeeze through and seal them. You can fix small cracks with silicone caulking and block holes with steel wool. Cap your wall vents with galvanized steel mesh. Mice commonly get inside by crawling under doors, so consider investing in floor sweeps and weatherstripping.

Inspecting your deck is a good starting point to maintaining a pest-free home. If you’re currently struggling with an infestation, feel free to give Mouse Control a call. We conduct thorough inspections in which we check every nook and cranny of the house for potential entry points. We’ll get to the bottom of any pest problem and stop them from coming back with our guaranteed pest-proofing services. If you’re interested, give Mouse Control a call and we’ll get started: 647-496-0492.

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