As fall segues into winter, everyone will be bundling up and preparing for the cold—including local animals. Many of them know human homes are some of the warmest, coziest places to be. This is why pests like mice, squirrels, and even bats sometimes get through the roof or walls to nest indoors. It’s obviously not great for your house, though. To keep out critters, you need proper wildlife control and to make your home less accessible to them.

How? Here are a few tips:

• Patch Up All Holes: Give your home a once over with a keen eye. A hole or crack of any size is a potential entrance—never underestimate the spaces a rodent can fit through. Some specific places to check include baseboards, window frames, siding gaps, or even split roofing shingles.

• Clear Your Gutters: Keeping your gutters clean is good for more than draining runoff: It also lets you keep an eye on any animal nests, as gutters are a common place for them. If you suspect animals may have infiltrated your home through the roof or gutters, call a wildlife control service.

• Seal Your Food: With their keen noses, mice can smell food that’s been left out, and they’ll try to get it. To remove the temptation, put everything away. If you spill anything on the floor, clean it up immediately: Even a few small crumbs will attract pests.

• Remove Household Clutter: To feel safe and warm, rodents tend to build nests using whatever materials they can find. In a human dwelling, great nesting materials might include bits of paper, cardboard, or fabric. So if you have any of that lying around, either throw it out or store it in a sealed container.

• Always Shovel Snow: As soon as the first snow of the season arrives, don’t delay—shovel it as soon as you can. Some critters, like voles, tend to tunnel in snow, and their tunnels could lead into your house.

Concerned bats, squirrels, raccoons, or other critters have invaded your home but would prefer humane animal control? American Bio-Tech Wildlife Services can help. They’ve been working out of New Milford, CT, since 1971 and are intimately familiar with the best wildlife control practices. To make an inquiry, reach out to them at (860) 355-1231. More information about their home animal removal services is available online.