Scratching in the Walls? What Birmingham Homeowners Should Check Before Winter

The house finally gets quiet. The television is off, the dishwasher has finished, and you’re settling in for the night.

Then you hear it: a faint scratching somewhere behind the wall. Maybe a quick scurry overhead.

Before you decide it’s a mouse—or convince yourself it’s just the house settling—it helps to know what other clues to look for. Around Birmingham, cooler weather makes this a good time to check the small openings that can give unwanted visitors access to your home.

Here’s where to start, what those sounds might mean, and when to bring in help.

Does Scratching at Night Mean You Have Mice?

It can, but sound alone isn’t enough to identify what’s happening.

House mice and rats are generally active at night, and scratching or gnawing in walls and attics can be a sign of their presence. However, other animals and ordinary household sounds can cause confusion. The location and timing of a noise are useful clues, not a diagnosis.

Look for supporting evidence in accessible areas:

• Chewed food packaging in the pantry or garage.

• Small droppings inside cabinets or along walls.

• Shredded paper, fabric, or other nesting material.

• Gnaw marks around an opening.

• Dark rub marks along edges or established travel paths.

You don’t need to find every sign before asking for help. Repeated noises, especially alongside damaged packaging or droppings, are reason enough to have the situation assessed. University of Georgia Extension

How Are Rodents Getting Into a House That Looks Sealed?

The opening may be much smaller than you expect.

According to Alabama Cooperative Extension, mice can enter through openings about a quarter-inch wide, and rats have been known to enter through holes as small as half an inch. A quick glance around the outside of your home can easily miss gaps that size.

It also helps to look beyond the foundation. Alabama homes can attract house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats, and their habits differ. Norway rats tend to stay closer to ground level, while roof rats are capable climbers that may enter buildings from the roof or utility lines. Alabama Cooperative Extension

The practical takeaway: check high and low rather than assuming every rodent comes in under a door.

Where to Look First: Small Gaps, High and Low

Start with places you can inspect comfortably from the ground. Leave roof work and hard-to-reach spaces to a professional.

Exterior Doors and Garage Door Edges

Look for worn weather stripping, damaged door sweeps, and gaps along the bottom or sides of doors.

Include the door between an attached garage and the house. An opening into the garage and another into the living space can create a route that’s easy to overlook.

Openings Around Pipes and Cables

Check where plumbing, electrical cables, and other utility lines pass through exterior walls.

Inside, accessible openings around pipes beneath sinks and behind appliances can also provide clues. An indoor gap may be part of a travel route through the building, even when the original entrance is somewhere outside.

Crawl-Space and Attic Vents

Look for damaged covers, loose edges, or missing protective screening. Vent openings need to function properly while keeping animals out, so repairs should preserve the ventilation the home requires.

Eaves, Soffits, and Roof Openings

Gaps around the roofline can provide access to attic spaces. These are especially relevant when investigating possible roof-rat activity.

Nearby trees and climbing vines can provide a route toward the building. They aren’t proof of an infestation, but they belong in the inspection picture.

These inspection areas are included in the CDC’s guidance on preventing rodent entry.

Why Do Mice Keep Coming Back After You Set Traps?

Catching a mouse and preventing another from entering are two different jobs.

Trapping can help control rodents already inside. But if an opening remains accessible—or food and shelter remain easy to find—the problem may continue.

That’s why a lasting approach considers the whole situation: what animal is present, where it’s traveling, how it’s entering, and what is supporting the activity.

Sealing materials matter, too. Expanding foam alone is vulnerable to gnawing. Durable materials such as appropriately installed metal mesh, sheet metal, or other suitable building materials may be needed, depending on the opening. UC Integrated Pest Management

If you suspect animals are already inside, have the activity assessed so removal and repairs can be coordinated.

What Can You Do Right Now?

A few practical changes can make food and shelter less accessible:

• Store pantry items, birdseed, and pet food in sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids.

• Put away uneaten pet food after feeding.

• Keep garbage containers closed and clean up spilled food.

• Reduce clutter in garages and storage areas.

• Move piled materials away from the house and trim vegetation touching the building.

• Repair damaged door seals and arrange an inspection of suspicious openings.

A rodent sighting doesn’t mean your home is dirty. Food management helps, but even a well-kept home can have an accessible gap.

When Should You Call Athena?

If the scratching keeps returning, you find droppings or chewed packaging, or you can’t locate the source, it’s time for a closer look.

Athena’s approach to small rodents considers both current activity and the entry points that can allow it to continue. Identifying the problem comes first, followed by a plan suited to your home.

You shouldn’t have to spend another evening wondering what’s moving behind the wall.

Call Athena Pest Control at (205) 915-2847 or schedule a free pest assessment. We’re here to help Birmingham and Over the Mountain homeowners take the next step toward a quieter, better-protected home.