“The noise in the kitchen wall stopped about two weeks after the first visit. Wieslaw showed me the gap by the dryer vent before anything else.”
Frances O.South Minneapolis
Mouse and rat exclusion in Minneapolis
Seal first, trap second.
Traps catch the mice you have. Sealing stops the next ones. Every job starts with a flashlight, a ladder and a map of how they are getting in.
Start with what you know
The method
Three steps, in this order
Most mouse calls get the order wrong. Trapping first catches mice while the gaps stay open, and the next ones walk in.
Find every way in
We walk the outside, then the basement, crawl space and attic. A mouse fits through a gap about the width of a pencil, so we look at everything that size.
Seal what we found
Steel mesh, metal flashing and exterior sealant in every gap, in materials that don't wear through the way foam and steel wool do.
Trap what's inside, then check
Snap traps go where the activity is, in covered stations. We come back to check them and to confirm that nothing new is getting in.
Where mice get in
Five places we always look
On an older Minneapolis house the way in is almost never one hole. It is a few small ones.
Where the siding meets the foundation
A gap along the sill plate is the most common way in.
Porch skirting and crawl-space vents
Loose lattice and old vent screens let mice and rats under the porch.
Where pipes, wires and gas lines come through
Each hole cut for a line is usually larger than the line.
The porch roof where it meets the wall
Mice climb rough siding and trim to reach this seam.
Soffits and roof edges
Small gaps under the eave open into the attic.
Why the order matters
Traps alone, or seal first
Traps are part of the job either way. What changes is what happens a month later.
| Traps only | Seal first, then trap | |
|---|---|---|
| What it stops | Traps onlyThe mice already inside | Seal first, then trapThe way in, and the mice already inside |
| A month later | Traps onlyGaps still open, so new mice can replace the ones caught | Seal first, then trapGaps closed, so fewer new mice find the house |
| What you do | Traps onlyCheck and reset traps yourself, or call again | Seal first, then trapMove stored food into hard containers; keep stations clear |
| The visit ends when | Traps onlyThe call ends | Seal first, then trapA check visit shows no new activity |
The mouse year
When to call, by month
In the Twin Cities the work bunches up before the first hard frost. The owner edits these months to fit the season.
Best time to seal
Gaps are easiest to find and close while it is dry and warm.
Aug to Oct
Mice move in
First cold nights send them looking for warmth.
Sep to Nov
Noises in the walls
Activity is loudest when the house is quiet and the ground is frozen.
Nov to Mar
Check for new gaps
Spring thaw shifts soil and trim; look again.
Mar to May
Months vary with the weather. Call when you hear or see something, whatever the month.
Sample reviews
What homeowners wrote
“They explained why they would not trap first, and then did exactly that. The estimate listed every spot they planned to seal.”
Gale H.Northeast Minneapolis
“I called in October. They found two gaps under the porch and one by the gas line, and came back to check the traps.”
Rena B.Longfellow
Sample reviews.
Where we go
Minneapolis and the metro towns around it
Text your address and we'll say if you're in range.
- Hennepin County: Minneapolis, Deephaven, Long Lake, Minnetrista
- Dakota County: Lakeville, Rosemount
- Scott County: Savage, Prior Lake, Shakopee
- Carver County: Chanhassen, Chaska
- Washington County: Cottage Grove, Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Newport
- Ramsey County: Vadnais Heights
- Anoka County: Lino Lakes, Circle Pines
We don't go north of Lino Lakes, west of Chaska or south of Lakeville, and we don't take wildlife jobs such as squirrels, raccoons or bats. Text your address if you're near a line.
Before you book
Quick answers
Do you use poison?
Indoors we reach for snap traps in covered stations first. Where bait is needed it goes in locked stations, and we tell you where each one is and what is in it. Ask for the product list.
Do I need to be home?
For the inspection, an adult needs to let us into the basement, attic and crawl space. Exterior sealing doesn't need anyone home.
Do you take squirrels, raccoons or bats?
No. That is wildlife work with its own state rules, and we say so on the phone. We handle mice and rats.
Before the first hard frost
Book a fall inspection
Mice start looking for a way in when nights turn cold. An inspection now means the gaps are sealed before they do.