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Rodent Prevention: A Recent Job & Some Homeowner Tips

Category: Holiday

Published: 03 July, 2026

By Erick, Owner, Pestmaster

What We Walked Into

July isn't usually the month people think about rodents, but I get plenty of those calls around Greater San Angelo and Midland this time of year.

A few weeks ago, a homeowner on the outskirts of San Angelo called because they'd been hearing scratching in the attic late at night.

At first, they figured it was probably the house settling or maybe a tree brushing against the roof.

Then they found a few droppings in the garage near some storage boxes.

That was enough to make them pick up the phone.

When I got there, the property looked great. The yard was tidy, the house was well looked after, and nothing really jumped out as a rodent problem.

That's actually pretty normal.

One thing I've learned over the years is that rodents usually don't announce themselves. The first clue is almost always something small—a strange noise, a couple of droppings, or a bag of pet food that suddenly has chew marks on it.

As I started walking the property and checking the attic and garage, it didn't take long to see what was going on.

The good news was they caught it early.

The Problem

I always tell homeowners that rodents rarely show up overnight.

Usually, one finds an easy way in, discovers food or shelter, and keeps coming back. If nothing changes, more eventually follow.

In this case, the garage had boxes stacked along the walls that hadn't been moved in a while. That's exactly the kind of quiet space rodents like.

Outside, the landscaping had grown in enough to give them cover while moving around the property.

Then I found what I was really looking for—a small gap around one of the utility lines.

To most people, it wouldn't have looked like anything worth worrying about.

To a mouse, it was an open front door.

The homeowner told me they weren't really worried about the droppings.

What was bothering them was lying awake every night wondering what was making the noise above the ceiling.

I hear that a lot.

Once you know something is moving around in the attic, it's hard not to listen for it every night.

The Process

The first thing I wanted to figure out was how they were getting inside.

There's no point dealing with the rodents if you leave the door open for the next ones.

I checked the attic, garage, roofline, foundation, utility lines, vents, and the rest of the exterior until I found the places that needed attention.

Once I showed the homeowner where the rodents were getting in, everything started to make more sense.

From there, I focused on the areas where the activity was happening instead of treating places that didn't need it.

We also talked about a few simple changes around the property.

Some of the vegetation needed trimming back, the garage could use a little reorganising, and a few food sources needed to be stored a little better.

None of those things are difficult.

But when you put them together, they make a property much less inviting to rodents.

The Outcome

Within a week, the homeowner told me the attic had gone quiet.

No more scratching at night.

No new droppings showed up in the garage either.

When I checked back later, they said the biggest difference wasn't really seeing fewer signs.

It was not thinking about rodents anymore.

They weren't lying awake listening for noises, and they weren't checking the garage every morning wondering what they'd find.

That's usually when I know we've done our job.

The homeowner also followed through on the recommendations we discussed, which makes a big difference when it comes to keeping rodents from coming back.

DIY Advice

Here are a few things I recommend homeowners check during the summer:

1. Walk around the outside of your home every few months and look for small gaps around utility lines, vents, pipes, and doors.

2. Keep shrubs and vegetation trimmed back from the house so rodents have fewer places to travel unnoticed.

3. Store pet food, bird seed, and other dry goods in sealed containers instead of bags.

4. Try not to leave boxes stacked against garage walls for long periods.

5. If you hear scratching at night or keep finding droppings in the same area, don't ignore it.

Most of these things only take a few minutes, but they can help you catch a problem before it gets much bigger.

"It's brighter than before!"

— Megan

Professional Insight

One thing I've noticed over the years is that rodent problems almost always give you a warning.

It might be a noise in the attic.

A couple of droppings in the garage.

A chewed bag of pet food.

Most of the time, those little signs show up weeks before the problem becomes serious.

Around Greater San Angelo and Midland, I pay close attention to garages, attics, utility lines, rooflines, and landscaping because that's where I usually find the first clues.

If you catch the problem early and close off the access points, the solution is usually a whole lot easier.

Closing Thoughts

That job was a good reminder that rodent prevention isn't just something to think about when the weather gets cold.

Summer is often when the first signs start showing up.

If you're hearing scratching in the attic, finding droppings in the garage, or just have a feeling something isn't quite right, it's worth having a look before a small problem turns into a bigger one.