Freezing temperatures drive rodents indoors across Houston. Learn the warning signs, prevention strategies, and when calling professionals makes the most sense.
If you live in Greater Houston and have noticed scratching sounds in your walls lately, you are definitely not alone. Hard freezes push rodents indoors fast, and pest control experts across the region are reporting a surge in service calls. Here is what happens. When temperatures drop below fifty degrees, rodents get aggressive about finding shelter. They follow the heat escaping from your home through foundation gaps, attic vents, and anywhere pipes or wires enter the structure. That warmth is basically a welcome sign. The National Pest Management Association estimates that rodents invade roughly twenty-one million homes every winter across the United States. Nearly one in four homeowners reports dealing with mice or rats during colder months. In Houston, where hard freezes catch both residents and rodents off guard, the push indoors can happen practically overnight. So what should Houston homeowners watch for? Start with droppings. Small, dark, pellet-shaped droppings near food storage areas or along baseboards mean rodents have been active. Fresh droppings look moist and dark. Old ones turn dry and crumbly. Gnaw marks are another giveaway. Rodents have to chew constantly to keep their teeth from overgrowing. They will damage food packaging, wooden structures, and electrical wiring. That last one creates a real fire hazard. Listen for scratching or scurrying sounds in your walls, ceiling, or attic, especially at night when rodents are most active. Check for grease marks along walls and baseboards. Rodents travel the same paths repeatedly and leave oily residue from their fur. Prevention comes down to blocking entry points and removing food sources. Mice can squeeze through gaps as small as a quarter inch. That is roughly the size of a pencil. Seal gaps around utility penetrations, fix damaged door sweeps, and address any foundation cracks. Store food in airtight containers. Clean up spills promptly. And do not leave pet food sitting out overnight. These simple steps remove the food incentive that keeps rodents coming back. When should you call a professional? If you are seeing multiple signs of activity, hearing sounds regularly, or finding droppings in different areas of your home, you likely have an established problem. A single female mouse can produce up to forty offspring in a year, so small issues become big ones quickly. ABC Home and Commercial Services has been helping Houston homeowners deal with rodent problems for decades. Their technicians know exactly where rodents typically enter after cold weather events and can identify vulnerabilities most homeowners miss. For more information about protecting your Houston home from post-freeze rodent invasions, visit ABC Home and Commercial Services online at a b c home and commercial dot com. The company serves Greater Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, and surrounding communities. This content was developed in partnership with ASTOUNDZ, a Houston digital marketing agency. Visit astoundz dot com for more information. ABC Home & Commercial Services Houston City: Cypress Address: 11934 Barker Cypress Rd Website: https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/houston