5 Ways A Mice Infestation Endangers Your Family

Home & Garden Blog

There is no place for mice in the modern home, unless it is safely in a cage as a pet. Getting rid of a mouse infestation is imperative, as the following illustrates.  

1. Fire Hazards

Rodents will chew anything, and for some reason, they are particularly drawn to wiring. They will chew incessantly on the insulation rubber that covers wiring, often biting through. To make matters worse, outlet boxes in the walls also attract mice as cozy nesting locations. Chewing through wires does more than cause an inconvenience by cutting electricity to outlets and switches, it can also create a major fire risk from wayward sparks. 

2. Health Risks

Mice carry a cornucopia of diseases that can affect both humans and pets in the home. Hantavirus is a well-known mouse-carried disease that can result in death. Leptospirosis is another commonly spread disease by mice, which can lead to kidney failure in humans and pets. The diseases are often spread via urine, feces, or saliva, so you can get sick simply by having rodents in the house even if you never handle them.

3. Structural Damages

Although small, mice can wreak major havoc on your home. Their chewing, nesting, and urination can destroy insulation in walls and attics, necessitating full replacement if they aren't exterminated promptly. Mice will also chew through wood and drywall to get to where ever they like. Further, their feces and urine soak into wood, flooring, and carpeting. A bad infestation can result in the need to rip out urine-soaked baseboards and floorboards. 

4. Food Contamination

One of the main reasons mice invade a home is in search of food, which is why many mice infestations are centered around a kitchen or pantry. It's not just disgusting when a mouse gets in the kitchen and begins chewing into food containers — it's also a contamination risk. Compromising food with saliva, urine, and feces is the main way mice end up spreading the aforementioned diseases. Mice-infested food must be tossed, which is expensive.

5. Pest Introduction

Often, mice bring in a few hitchhikers when they make their way into your home. These hitchhikers include fleas, ticks, and lice, along with bacterial and parasitic contagions. These pests can be a nuisance to humans and pets, and some of them like ticks and fleas can bring in a host of other diseases. 

Contact a mice extermination service if you notice even the smallest signs of rodents in your home. 

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4 January 2023