Garage Guardian: Protect Your Car from Rodent Damage

You pull into the driveway and your car won’t start—chewed wires and nesting fluff in the engine bay. In this calm, checklist-first episode Mikey opens with that real homeowner vignette and Dana breaks into detective mode to ID the usual culprits (mice and rats) and the clues that point to a vehicle vs. building infestation. We explain why warm engine bays, stored boxes, and garage clutter invite nesting, how seasonal patterns change risk, and how rodent behavior around vehicles differs from typical house routes. The IPM Playbook prioritizes inspection, exclusion, sanitation, habitat reduction, and monitoring with safe, non-chemical weekend moves you can do immediately (clean & seal storage, move or run vehicles, inspect wiring runs visually, secure entry points into the garage). Red flags and exact reasons to call a mechanic or licensed pest technician are emphasized. Listeners leave with a one-line “garage guard” checklist and clear next steps—no risky DIY trapping or chemical mixing advice.