Mice!!

After noting mouse droppings in and around our kitchen pantry, i set a trap and caught one. Last night, to my wife's surprise, we found trace of another mouse that tore open a bag of wheat flour. So i decided to investigate a littler further and got an idea as to how these mice are coming into our house. In our mechanical closet in the garage, there is a sewer main stack coming up through concrete slab in a sleeve with what seems to be a condensate piping going in parallel to the sewer line and there is enough gap between the pipes for mice to fit through. In the kitchen behind the electric range, there is what seems to be a gas pipe with shut off valve come up through the floor but there was no escutcheon around it (see picture). I've lived in Southern Walk (townhome) for 6 years now and have never noticed this gap behind the range to the wall. My guess is that this gas piping should've been in the wall with an access panel but the contractor when roughing-in, must have missed it and just left it there. So over this weekend, i will get a fire-caulk from home depot to fill these gaps and will also spray some peppermint oil around them. I am thinking about contacting Van Metre about this issue but i am sure they will just tell me that my warranty expired 5 years ago. Not a happy camper!

 

I would still contact Van Metre and report it. It seems like a quick fix. Mice can contort their little bodies and squeeze through the tiniest cracks in order to find heat - food is a bonus!

 

Few weeks back I noticed a mouse around the TV at night and I killed that mouse thinking that it might be the only one which might have accidentally entered the house.

From last one week we started noticing wheat flour in and around kitchen pantry and also near the refrigerator in the kitchen. We had no clue what was going on and me and my wife were blaming each other. Yesterday we decided to investigate and we noticed lot of mouse droppings in and around the pantry area and while moving the wheat flour bag we noticed the mouse running towards the refrigerator. We noticed the mouse tore open a bag of wheat flour. We also found mouse droppings inside the wheat flour and rice bag Yuckkkk.... Same night I bought 6 mouse glue traps at Target and placed 6 of them around the pantry area and near the refrigerator in the kitchen. Unbelievably, we caught 6 mice on 6 different mouse traps on same night. Luckily my warranty is until the end of this month and I just emailed Van Metre regarding the same. I asked Van Metre to get the pest control inspection done ASAP and find out from where these mice are entering the house and get the issue fixed ASAP. Lets see what they come back with!! Will update again..

 

Our cat keeps the mice away.

 

Wow 6 mice in one night!! the mice we caught actually tore open a bag of wheat flour also. Did you look behind the range to see if you have the same thing? Ever since my posting here, a guy from Van Metre inspected my condition and admitted that it was a mess up on their end but they are not willing to do anything about it. I am writing a letter to their top manager in charge of construction and i am planning on filing a complaint with VA DPOR. Good luck fellow hunter.

 

Are you in Broadlands Station? (asking since you said your warranty is up next month) If you are where? Im just curious because I saw a dead mouse outside our house and we live along the greenway on Rickenbacker. I thought it was an isolated incident.

 

I have had mice on multiple occasions and just make it an annual ritual to set traps in our garage and pantry in the cold months. We have gotten better about elevating food sources and placing plastic packages of food in containers. I have only seen 2 this year. But the key is the get them right away....if they breed and invite their friends, you will have 6 or more before you know it. They will eat almost anything but if you use peanut butter on the traps, they can not resist.

 

So weird Van Metre 1 yr warranty does not cover this issue. I asked them if they will pay for the exterminator if he finds out that the issue is with the builder defect of some kind of hole or crack in the foundation or walls. The answer from Van Metre is NO, even if its a builder defect. If exterminator finds the issue Van Metre will come and take a look at the issue but not pay or reimburse for the exterminator. Below is the reply from Van Metre and their production manager:

"Van Metre provides homeowners with a 1-Year Builder Warranty, but it doesn’t cover, insects, or wild or domestic animals of any kind or nature. It is recommend that you contact a Pest Control Company. Mice can get in anywhere, they can fit in spaces the size of a dime. Mice infestation is not considered a builder defect. If an exterminator finds areas that they could come in, then we can take a look at them. It is recommended that you hire a contractor to come out and inspect and treat for you, but it is not covered under any warranty and we do not pay or reimburse homeowners for the service."

I am not sure where to check behind the electric range and to be safe side I am planning to get an exterminator to inspect the house. I am also planning to raise the complaint with VA DPOR.
I am not in the Broadlands Station.