Can you really build a fortress against the tiniest invaders of our homes—mice? This week, join me, Jim Troth, and the ever-knowledgeable Laura, the office goddess, as we unpack the challenges of creating a mouse-proof house while giving you the latest updates on the progress of our own property under construction. From the practicality of placing electrical outlets to seeing that our bathtub actually fits in just the right spot, we cover the tangible milestones of building a home. Then, we pivot to a topic that's both intriguing and a little unsettling: the battle against those pesky rodents that seem to find their way into even the most fortified homes.
As we peel back the layers of construction and homeowner maintenance, you'll get an insider's look at why even the poshest neighborhoods aren't immune to uninvited furry guests. Laura dishes out her wisdom on the everyday habits that could be welcoming these critters, while I lend my construction expertise on how to reinforce your home's defenses. It's a conversation filled with practical tips, surprising revelations, and a touch of humor—because let's face it, dealing with mice can be as frustrating as it is funny. So, whether you've faced a mouse dilemma or you're just curious about the nuts and bolts of keeping a home secure, tune in for an engaging session that promises to enlighten and entertain.
To learn more about Habitation Investigation, the Two-time Winner of the Best Home Inspection Company in the Midwest visit Home Inspection Columbus Ohio - Habitation Investigation (homeinspectionsinohio.com) Schedule online if you need a home inspection or related services. If in need of a real estate agent definitely recommend checking the agents that have been guests on the podcast.
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Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Standing Out in Ohio podcast, where we discuss topics, upcoming events, news and predictions with real estate professionals and entrepreneurs. Listen and learn what makes their companies and themselves stand out and gain advantages over the competition and gain market share. Subscribe for the latest news and discussion on what it takes to stand out from the crowd. Now here's your host, jim.
Speaker 2:
Hey everybody, Welcome to the Standing Out and how podcast. This is Jim Troth and of course, with me is Laura, the office goddess.
Speaker 3:
Hello everyone.
Speaker 2:
All right, laura. All right. Quick update on the house, the house we're building. How's that going?
Speaker 3:
I think all the siding's on the roofing is done. They were working on electricity and plumbing the last I knew, so getting there.
Speaker 2:
We were there the other day and the boxes are in place. Where are they going to put the outlets at?
Speaker 3:
One of the bathtubs is in.
Speaker 2:
Megan's tub is in Yep, so it's moving along, it's chugging along quite nicely yep, and like megan said, it's hard to visualize it when it's just for it was just just the slab. It's hard to see if it's just the exterior it's hard to see, but once everything's up a little bit easier and now that there's like a tub and there's like, oh, okay, oh, that is wide enough for a tub. Okay, because?
Speaker 3:
it did not look wide enough. Yeah, hard to visualize something.
Speaker 2:
So anyway, we had a question. I think this came online it did somebody wanted to know if, when they build new houses, do they build them mouse-proof.
Speaker 4:
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Speaker 2:
All right. So somebody will know if, when they build houses, do they make them mouse proof.
Speaker 3:
Yes, and the answer?
Speaker 2:
to no, yes, that was the question. That was the question. Yes, I'll tell you rightproof. Yes, and the answer to.
Speaker 3:
No, yes, that was the question. That was the question.
Speaker 2:
Yes, and I'll tell you right now.
Speaker 3:
No.
Speaker 4:
No.
Speaker 2:
Well, first of all, our new house. All during the building process you don't A good part of it, especially in the beginning. There's no windows, there's no doors, there's no way you can keep anything out. We had footprints in the mud outside the house the other day of a raccoon like a foot away from the house. We call him ricky, but anyway there's a raccoon that lives not just outside the house and well near the cabin too, because we'll see him on the cabin they probably right there in the middle looking for scraps of food, anything, if we left anything behind, by the way, there's no way the house is going to be critter proof.
Speaker 2:
No, there's no way especially not out in the woods like we are no, even if you're out, if, while lock construction out in the fields, stir up the mice Stir up the stirp homes. The most mouse infested place I ever saw was a nice area in Dublin.
Speaker 3:
Really.
Speaker 2:
Yes. So if you do not want mice in your house, you need to clean up after yourself when you cook.
Speaker 4:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
That's all I got to say about that?
Speaker 3:
In the siding. Make sure that your dryer vents or cable lines coming in, that you caulk those up so there's no openings.
Speaker 2:
Mice's, a mouse's skull will collapse and that's how they can fit into those little itty bitty freaking holes that you think would be impossible yeah, it does not take much space for a mouse to get through because, like la Laura said, our heads, human skulls, our skulls fuse together the sections of it.
Speaker 3:
Yes.
Speaker 2:
That does not happen with a mouse. That little head, they can squish it, they can push through little things. So it's really, man, you would have to build a house really super tight to keep the mice coming in once. Once you've done the framing, put the side on. It's going to be really super tight. But they will chew through things. Yes, they will. Squirrels will chew through fascia boards. They'll create their own openings.
Speaker 3:
You just got to be vigilant.
Speaker 2:
But the best thing is, don't give them a reason to be there, right? Which is food? Do not leave food out for them. Is food? Do not leave food out for them. I mean not that you're intentionally feeding them, but if you have cracker crumbs and cheese I like cheese they're going to come in.
Speaker 3:
So you know I was on the wagon train.
Speaker 2:
Wait Alright, laura. Someday you're going to talk about the wagon train.
Speaker 3:
Someday I will talk about the wagon train. They had a food truck. Was it a truck or another wagon train? Someday I will tell about the wagon train. They had a food truck.
Speaker 2:
Was it a truck or another wagon train?
Speaker 3:
It was part of the wagon train.
Speaker 2:
Was it old Surrey?
Speaker 3:
No, jim, it was just like this little food vehicle that they drove.
Speaker 2:
Wait, does it have a motor or is it pulled by a horse?
Speaker 3:
I think it was pulled by something an animal I animal or a car, I I don't remember, like it just it was pulled by horse dude. This is like 30 freaking years ago. So anyways, I remember one of my kids was like begging for food. She'd been sick that day, hadn't eaten anything, and she just wanted a peanut butter and jelly. That's a fair request. I can understand that. So I traipse my happy little unsuspecting butt into the food wagon food wagon to make her a sandwich, open up the bottom cupboard, scream bloody murder.
Speaker 3:
like all of the guys that were working in the camp came running because they thought I was being attacked Because there were mice in the bottom of the cabinet just munching on the food.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, because there's food.
Speaker 3:
But it wasn't out. It was in the cabinet.
Speaker 2:
Yes, but they could smell it. That's why in our cabin that we have in the woods right now, if we leave food there, it is in these airtight buckets.
Speaker 2:
Yes and we screw that up, Screw down. You cannot get into it because I do not want a mouse or the raccoon or any other critter smelling this and they go. Hey, I can go in. Here's what I do also. Every time we leave, I take a peppermint spray and I mist a little peppermint in the cabin center. Then I go out to the corners because mice and rodents do not like peppermints.
Speaker 3:
Well, I think there's another reason why we haven't had any mice in there, and that would be the five-foot-long black rat snake that we saw scurrying across the middle of the trail, going towards the cabin.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you sure heard Laura freak out. We're driving the ATV going back to the cabin and this thing was easily four to five feet long.
Speaker 3:
Easily.
Speaker 2:
And it was. He was speedy Black Snake. He was going quite quickly across that trail, he almost. The trail is about seven feet across and he easily was. He was three-quarters of the width Easily.
Speaker 3:
He was easily five foot.
Speaker 2:
But that's an animal that you do not want in your house, in your cabin. I do not want him in my house.
Speaker 3:
He could stay outside and snack on all the mice he wants, but no coming in.
Speaker 2:
So this is part of the hippie, Laura. You use nature to battle these things. So if you want a mouse-proof house, Laura, is there any kind of plants you would recommend you plant right outside your house? Mint you would plant mint.
Speaker 3:
I would plant mint.
Speaker 2:
Peppermint, spearmint, all the mints.
Speaker 3:
I think all the mints. I can double check on that and send you a link for information to put on this. But yeah, I'm pretty sure they don't like mint for some reason.
Speaker 2:
They can do research. Well, there is a spray called Rodent Sheriff and it's just peppermint oil, is all. It is Maybe another type of mint in there, but I'll spray that in the cabin and it's strong, so I spray it when I'm leaving, right, but that keeps mice away.
Speaker 3:
We've not had any problems, so yes, so, but no, houses are not built mouse-proof.
Speaker 2:
No, they can't be Not really, especially during construction.
Speaker 3:
Right.
Speaker 2:
There's no way. Now, after you're done, the house is built, you can do things to help make it harder for the mice to come. Like you, don't leave. If you have penetrations through the walls, like, say, a gas pipe, make those are sealed, not big and loose. Open holes, sidings loose. Don't let it sit there loose because they can go up underneath that and then chew a hole.
Speaker 3:
Leave a kitty cat in your house.
Speaker 2:
Have a cat that's slightly hungry is good.
Speaker 3:
Because it will be finding.
Speaker 2:
Plant mint around the house.
Speaker 3:
Yep.
Speaker 2:
That would work. But you're not going to create a house that's 100% mouse-proof or bug-proof, because bugs are so small it's going to be almost impossible to keep them out. Very true, so I think that's it for this one. But that was a funny question because, like man, I never thought of that. What I mean if you don't know, you don't know, but they do. I mean it would be nice if they did build things so tight and exactly the correct dimensions and width that it was so tight together there's no way anything could get through that's then you're sacrificing clean air in that air exchange unless you have an air exchange unit that's right.
Speaker 2:
You do need a certain amount of air exchange, and that comes goes back to our inner air quality class, but it's almost. It would be very, very difficult to have a house that's so tight that there's no space for any air leaking in, which is enough space for bugs. And well, miles, if he sees a little tiny gap where he may not fit through, he can create that, he can gnaw on that and make it big enough for him so. I think that's about it for this.
Speaker 1:
Bye, everyone, Thanks everybody Bye-bye. You've been listening to the Standing Out in Ohio podcast. Be sure to subscribe on Spotify or Google Podcasts to get new, fresh episodes. For more, please follow us on Instagram, twitter and Facebook, or visit the website of the best Ohio home inspection company at homeinspectionsinohiocom or jimtroffcom. That's J-I-M-T-R-O-T-H and click on podcast. Until next time. Learn and go do stuff.