How To Keep Mice Out Of Your Pole Barn
A pole barn is an excellent place to store farming equipment, such as tractors, as well as cars, trucks, horses and livestock, feed, and hay on a farm. If you live in a rural area, you probably have mice that live nearby.
Mice can be problematic if they get into your pole barn. They can build nests inside equipment that can cause it to not work correctly. They can chew through wires on a vehicle, which could start a fire. Mice can also leave urine and droppings all over the inside of your pole barn, which can make it smell and can also contaminate your animal feed and hay.
If mice are already living in your pole barn, you can set traps or get some cats to get rid of them. The best way to prevent problems is to keep mice from getting in your pole barn in the first place.
Strategies to Prevent Mice from Getting into Your Pole Barn
One of the easiest ways for mice to get into a pole barn is simply to come in through the doors. Make sure the doors seal tight when they are closed. Sliding doors cost less than some other types, but they can allow mice to slip in. Sectional overhead doors seal tighter and do a better job of keeping rodents out.
Another strategy to keep mice out of your pole barn is to pour a concrete slab for a floor. If your pole barn has a dirt floor, mice can simply crawl under the splash plank.
Mice can get in through the bottom of wall steel, even though the bottom is just 1/8 inch above the flat edge of the base trim. Add inside closure strips to the bottom edge of the steel on the walls.
If your pole barn has steel siding, you can also use base trim, or “rat guard.” This is attached to the splash plank just above concrete landings outside the doors or driveway approach. Base trim can seal off the bottom edge of the steel on the wall to keep mice out of your pole barn.
Put 1 ½-inch blocks of wood at the four corners where the splash planks intersect. This can prevent mice from getting through.
Get a Quote for Pole Barn Design and Construction
If you are planning to use a pole barn on a farm, you need to consider the possibility that you could have unwanted guests. Taking steps when constructing your pole barn can help you keep mice out and avoid damage to the belongings you store inside your pole barn.
CHA Pole Barns can design and construct a quality pole barn that you can use on your farm. Whether you want to use your pole barn to shelter animals, feed, vehicles, or equipment, we can help you choose the right design. Contact us today to get an estimate.
When you are ready contact CHA Pole Barns to talk about your pole barn project.