Mouse-Proofing Your Garage Door: What You Need To Know
Posted on: 6 June 2016
Mice are a common problem in Australian garages. These hungry rodents will actively look for places they can find food and spaces to breed, and your garage door is often not the impregnable barrier you might expect. A single mouse may seem relatively harmless, but a larger infestation could cause serious damage to the contents and structure of your garage, so it's important to know how to mouse-proof your garage door. Here's what you need to know.
How mice get in
Mice are surprisingly nimble, flexible creatures, and they can get in your garage through a tiny gap. In fact, pest control experts warn that a mouse can fit in a hole the size of a small coin, and if you can poke your little finger under your garage door, a mouse can squeeze its entire body through.
Of course, some people make it even easier for the mice by leaving the garage door fully or partly open for long periods. That's an open invitation to marauding rodents, especially if they can smell food. Make sure you always close the door at night. Mice are generally nocturnal, so an open door overnight may make it easy for hungry mice to get in the garage.
Fixing a problem with weather stripping
Sometimes called the astragal, weather stripping stops dirt, debris and water getting in the garage and helps insulate the interior space. However, the mice will sometimes chew through this stripping, especially if they want to find somewhere warm. You can often change the old weather stripping yourself by prising the old stripping off with a screwdriver and then sliding in a replacement piece. That aside, some people may find the process a bit fiddly, so you may also want to call out a garage door repair professional.
You can also now buy rodent guards to protect the weather stripping on some types of garage door. These are simple metal guards that you install around the stripping to stop mice chewing their way through. When you replace damaged weather stripping, you may also want to talk to a supplier to find out if this option is suitable for your garage door.
Replacement parts you may need
Most roll-down metal garage doors have vinyl attachments at the bottom to protect the metal panels when the door closes. These vinyl attachments can sometimes wear out through normal use, but you may also see gnawing damage from a mouse. When you buy replacement vinyl, make sure you choose the right size for your door. Look at the track size of the door, as well as the width.
Rubber seals and gaskets at the side of garage doors can also wear and become brittle over time. You can buy specialised rubber door gaskets that have wire mesh in them. This design prevents mice chewing through your replacement parts. Similar kits are available to deal with damaged side gaskets.
Garage door threshold seals
Door-mounted weather stripping is not always as durable as you might like, especially if you have to contend with mice. A garage door threshold seal can give you a tighter, longer-lasting barrier between the bottom of the door and the ground below. The threshold is a raised rubber bump that you install where the door hits the ground when you close it.
Make sure you effectively clean the ground and the garage door before installing the device. Ideally, look for products that include caulking to help you attach the threshold securely, but if this isn't possible, you'll also need a strong adhesive or cement to attach the threshold to the driveway.
A mouse infestation could damage the contents of your garage and may even present a health hazard. Talk to a garage door supplier like Best Doors for more information and advice about possible solutions.
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