Mice can cause serious damage to vehicles like cars, ride-on lawnmowers, snowmobiles, and ATVs. The warmth and darkness of an engine compartment make a perfect rodent sanctuary. Chewing on your vehicle’s wiring offers mice a convenient way to keep their teeth trimmed right from the comfort of their nest. By the time you notice something is wrong with your vehicle, there may already be extensive and costly damage.
So, how can you tell if rats and mice live in your car?
Signs of Rodents in Your Car
- Visual sightings of droppings and urine, along with bad smells
- Strange sounds, especially the heater or fan making a rumbling or vibrating noise that indicates a nest in the heater blower motor
- Spotting food sources like acorns, dog food, and bird seed that rodents have brought into your car to eat. Seeing old snacks like French fries in unlikely places
- On occasion, seeing a mouse or rat jump out of or run around in your car
How Can a Rodent Damage Your Vehicle?
The main ways that rodents, usually rats and mice, damage your car are through chewing, nesting, and waste.
Chewing
Rodents need to chew on things to sharpen their teeth. All rodents have self-sharpening incisor teeth that never stop growing. They will chew through almost anything they encounter, such as:
- Wires
- Hoses
- Plastic panels
- Power steering lines
- Nesting
Rats and mice need to build nests for shelter. They harvest the nesting material from:
- Hood liner insulation
- Carpet insulation
- Interior upholstery
Common nest locations are:
- Heater blower motors
- Under the center console
- Behind plastic paneling
- Engine compartments
- Trunks
- Air conditioner ducts
Waste
Mice defecate and urinate everywhere they go. In addition to a foul smell, this can be dangerous for your health. Mice can spread hantavirus and salmonellosis to humans. Staining from mouse feces and urine can also stain upholstery and items stored in your vehicle.
When are Mice Most Active?
In short, mice are most active when no humans are around. 3am is typically peak rodent activity hour, though signs of them can be found throughout the day. By the time you’re noticing signs or activity in the day time, the infestation is likely well established.
The SMART Solution
Early detection is key to preventing rodent damage. With innovative Anticimex SMART technology from Modern Pest, you’ll have hands-off, eco-friendly protection from rats and mice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Get your free Anticimex SMART Garage quote today. Call 1-800-323-7378 or click here now!