Your family’s not the only ones trying to come in from the cold!

Carrollwood Real Estate – Even Florida has cold weather from time to time this time of year.

When your family seeks shelter from the cold inside your home, many times others are searching for warmth in your home as well, but they aren’t of the human variety.

The National Pest Management Association advises that rodents are also looking for shelter from chilly temperatures – in your home. The organization reports more than 21 million rodents make their way into homes every winter.

No one wants these unwanted pests as houseguests.

Their presence can result in property damage and disease. Mice carry diseases like salmonella and Hantavirus, which they distribute when they scurry across food and food preparation surfaces. Rodents can also munch their way through electrical wires, sometimes causing house fires.

If you catch a glimpse of one mouse, don’t think there’s no harm in that.

One female mouse can have as many as 12 babies every two weeks. Very quickly that one mouse can develop into a major situation.

The National Pest Management Association recommends these tips to keep mice at bay.

Close any cracks and holes outside of your home to keep rodents from finding ways into your home. Take time to inspect spaces where utilities and pipes come into the home. Restore loose mortar and weather stripping around the foundation and windows.

Keep shrubberies cut back from the house.  Keep the floor area clear of clutter, rodents seek cover in clutter.  Keep food in rodent proof containers.

If you locate rodent feces, hear sounds of scurrying behind walls or see additional signs of a problem, contact a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat the problem.

The National Pest Management Association, a non-profit organization with more than 7,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry's commitment to the protection of public health, food and property.