Air conditioning is no more a luxury but a basic household necessity for most homeowners. During the warmer months, air conditioners help us escape the harsh temperatures and humidity and keep the home cool. Just like any other appliance, your AC is vulnerable to issues, but the worse kind of failure is when mice enter the air vents and damage your air conditioner.
If you see mice droppings around the air conditioning units or if you spot dead mice that look electrocuted, suspect mice infestation in your air conditioning unit. This is worrisome as mice can build nests, gnaw on wiring, and can even enter your home through an air conditioner.
So, how do mice get in, and why are they so attracted to HVAC units? Let’s find out!
How to Mice Sneak In?
Mice have a way of weaseling their way into the tiniest of spaces, leaving a trail of devastation behind. They can wreak havoc on your HVAC or air conditioning unit, which may prove hazardous and can cost you a fortune to get it fixed.
Mice can get into your HVAC units through small available entry-points such as air vents, block access panels, pipe and cable entries. Moreover, from the AC unit, mice can also find gaps that lead to your home or into your air ducts and spread more disease and damage. Once mice get in, they start making a home immediately. That means constant chewing through wires and ductwork and relieving themselves.
Mice are infamous for chewing anything and everything. Once they make an entry into the HVAC units, they can cause significant damages by chewing off the electrical wiring and refrigerant lines inside the unit, which may also cause a fire hazard.
Why Mice Choose HVAC Units?
An air conditioner is an ideal place for a mouse to nest, and hide because of the materials that the air ducts contain. Mice use these materials to build suitable nests. Mice are highly attracted to the HVAC and air conditioning systems because of the warm and cozy shelter it offers. While you can tape up ducts and replace the damaged wires, it is an expensive and aggravating task.
The accumulation of urine and fecal matter excreted by mice presents health risks as it is loaded with bacteria which puts human health and safety at risk. Mice can spread many deadly diseases, such as hantavirus, bubonic plague, and salmonellosis, to name a few. When mice invade your HVAC or air conditioner unit, it doesn’t mean that the mice problem will remain confined to these units. Mice will continue to spread and make their way into your home, including your kitchen and pantry.
How to tell if you have mice in your HVAC or air conditioning system?
- You smell a musty odor when your HVAC or air conditioning system is running.
- A sudden blowfly problem is caused by the mice chewing or accumulation of droppings in your ductwork.
- You actually find a mouse nest that looks like a ball of loosely-shredded material with droppings surrounding it.
- You see mice around your air conditioning system.
The Bottom Line
If you notice any signs of mice infestation, do not lose your cool. Instead, reach out to pest control professionals immediately to inspect the HVAC or air conditioning unit along with your entire home and implement pest control methods to get rid of them and make the system and your house mice-free and less attractive to mice.
