Why Filling One Hole Won't Stop Mice, Rats or Squirrels From Getting Into Your Home

If you've seen a mouse run into the garage, a squirrel disappear into the soffit or a rat squeeze through a gap in your brick, your first instinct is to seal that one hole.

It feels logical.

You block the opening... the problem goes away.

But in reality, patching a single entry point almost never solves a wildlife problem.

In fact, it often makes things worse.

Seeing mice in the garage or squirrels in the soffit? Patching one hole rarely solves the problem. Our Free Wildlife Entry Point Assessment finds every weak spot so your home is protected the right way, year round.

Animals Don't Use One Entry Point

Rodents and wildlife don't think like homeowners... they think like survivors.

Your house isn't just a building to them. It's:

• Warm winter shelter

• A safe nesting site

• Protection from predators

• A food and water source

When you close the opening you can see, the animal simply looks for the next weak spot.

Common hidden entry areas include:

• Gaps along soffit and roofline

• Cracks in brick and mortar

• Openings around hydro, gas and AC lines

• Damaged garage door seals

• Vents without wildlife screening

• Loose siding or fascia

• Foundation gaps

This is why homeowners often say:

"We sealed the garage hole and now we hear something in the attic"

The animal didn't disappear, it re-located.

Why Mice in Garage Become Mice in House

One of the biggest misconceptions is that wildlife is "just in the garage".

BUT garages connect to other structures through:

• Shared walls

• Attic spaces

• Door frames

• Utility penetrations

If mice or rats are in your garage today, there's a high chance they can be in your walls tomorrow.

We see this pattern constantly across Simcoe County Homes:

1. Entry points in garage gets patched

2. Rodents push in wall voids

3. Noises start in the attic

4. Droppings appear in the basement

5. Now it’s a full-home issue

A single patch job turns into a whole-house infestation.

DIY Foam and Mesh Often Make the Problem Worse

Expanding foam, steel wool, and quick patches seem like cheap fixes but wildlife are built to defeat them.

Why DIY exclusion fails:

• Mice and rats chew through foam in minutes

• Squirrels rip out soft metal flashing

• Animals can get trapped inside

• Mothers may be separated from babies

• Hidden openings get missed

• Damage continues behind the scenes

The result?

• Contaminated insulation

• Chewed wiring (fire risk)

• Urine odour in walls

• Ongoing scratching and noises

• Bigger repair bills later

True Wildlife Exclusion = Whole-Home Protection

Professional wildlife control isn’t about chasing animals from hole to hole. It’s about making the entire structure animal-proof.

A proper solution includes:

1. Full exterior inspection, not just the obvious spot

2. Identifying all potential entry points

3. Installing one-way doors when needed

4. Sealing soffits, rooflines, brick gaps

5. Screening vents and chimneys

6. Repairing garage door seals

7. Sealing utility penetrations

8. Removing attractants

This approach stops:

• Mice in garages

• Rats in soffits

• Squirrels in attics

• Raccoons in roofs

And—most importantly—prevents the next invasion.

Why Wildlife Problems Get Worse in Winter

In Ontario and Georgian Bay communities, seasonal pressure changes everything.

As temperatures drop:

• Rodents seek indoor warmth

• Squirrels look for nesting space

• Small gaps become major highways

• Old brick and soffits shift

Homes that were fine all summer suddenly become prime real estate for wildlife.

That’s why fall and winter are the busiest months for:

• Mice in garages

• Rats in walls

• Squirrels in attics

• Raccoons in soffits

How to Know If You Have More Than One Entry Point

Watch for these signs:

• Scratching in multiple areas

• Droppings in garage AND basement

• Odours near vents

• Chewed weather stripping

• Daytime squirrel activity

• Nighttime rodent noises
  

If you’re seeing activity in more than one location, you don’t have a hole, you have a vulnerability problem.

Stop Playing Whack-A-Mole With Wildlife

Before you seal another gap, ask:

Am I fixing the real problem or just moving it around?

A single patch is a band-aid. Whole-home exclusion is the cure.

Free Wildlife Entry Point Assessment

We help homeowners across Simcoe County, Midland, Orillia, Barrie, Collingwood and Georgian Bay:

• Find every weak spot

• Identify active entry points

• Remove wildlife humanely

• Repair damage properly

• Prevent future intrusion

If you’re dealing with mice in the garage, rats in the soffit, or squirrels in the attic, the solution isn’t one hole, it’s protecting the whole home.

📞 Book a free assessment and find out where your house is truly vulnerable.

1-800-563-5185