Why do mice and rats come inside during a cold snap in Plano?
Rodents look for warmth, food and shelter, and a house offers all three when outdoor temperatures drop. Garages with attached doors and attics next to warm ductwork are the usual targets. They also move in during fall, as outdoor food sources shrink and nests in beds and woodpiles lose cover.
Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 held Dallas-Fort Worth at or below freezing for 139 consecutive hours, with a low of minus 2 degrees. That was extreme, and no one should expect it every year. But even a normal North Texas cold snap is enough to send mice looking for a warm garage, and the same gap that lets them in during January works in September.
The pest calendar for Plano shows when rodent calls tend to climb through the year.
Why is poison not the first choice indoors?
Poison can send rodents into wall voids, ceilings or crawlspaces to die, where the smell lasts for days and the carcass attracts flies. It can also harm pets and wildlife that eat the rodent. Snap traps remove the animal where it is caught, and sealing gaps keeps new ones out.
A technician may still use bait stations outdoors or in secure locations when the inspection and species call for it, following the product label. Where it is used, you are told where the stations are and why. Bait is one tool, not the whole plan.
How are entry points found and sealed?
A technician looks for gnaw marks, rub marks and droppings along the edges of walls, around plumbing and gas lines, at garage door corners and roofline joints. Gaps are filled with steel wool, metal mesh or flashing and sealed with caulk or foam. Rodents chew through soft materials, so the material matters.
On a brick-veneer house, check the weep holes along the base of the wall, which are meant to drain moisture and can be fitted with a vent insert that keeps rodents out without blocking drainage. Garage door bottom seals and the corners where the door meets the frame are also frequent entries.
Are rodent droppings a health risk?
Rodent droppings and nesting material can carry bacteria and viruses, and dried droppings can become airborne when swept or vacuumed. Wet down droppings with disinfectant, wear gloves and a mask, and wipe up with paper towels instead of sweeping. Large infestations in attics are best cleaned with professional help.
For current health guidance, check the Texas Department of State Health Services or the CDC. If you have symptoms after cleaning a rodent area, talk to a doctor.
