The very thought of rodents such as mice entering our homes is enough to send shivers down the spine.  After all, although they might be cute and friendly, no one wants to share their home with a mouse, right?

And, one of the best ways to deter mice from entering your property is to block any gaps and entry points where they can access your property, clear up areas where they may build a nest, identify any food sources and invest in pest-proofing solutions. Remember, mice have incredibly soft skeletons and they are renowned for squeezing through the smallest and tightest gaps (that includes cast iron doorstep grilles) in search of both food and shelter.

We’ve created a helpful guide outlining everything that you need to know about doorstep vents / doorstep grilles to stop mice from stepping foot through your front door!

What are doorstep grilles?

First and foremost, what are doorstep grilles? Doorstep grilles are also known as air vents and are distinguishable due to their holes in brickwork or cast iron, which are designed to allow air to enter under the floor of buildings that have suspended floors. They come in a range of different designs and are generally found under the front door.

By having air circulating through doorstep vents freely into the cavity beneath floorboards, it means that cold or damp air does not remain in these spaces. This is incredibly important as if the timbers used in joists and floorboards are exposed to damp, they are more likely to rot and cause other structural damage.

Doorstep grilles are extremely common in Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian homes, which is why they come in lots of different shapes and sizes due to the nature of older properties.

Types of cast iron doorstep grilles

There are a number of different types of cast iron doorstep grilles available including the following:

Doorstep Grilles

Available in different widths, doorstep grilles provide the ideal solution for supplying air for ventilating underneath hallways. These grilles are also best suited to period properties, halls or manners, and can be shorted to 30 inches if required.

 Westminster Vents

Made from cast iron and with their elegant Victorian church design that will enhance any interior or exterior setting, Westminster vents are best suited to period properties and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Daisy Gratings

Elegant and aesthetically pleasing, Daisy Gratings are the perfect option for supplying air for ventilating purposes underneath hallways. They can also be used  for vent or drainage grilles in period properties, manors and halls . Avaialble in a wide range of sizes and finishes.

Slotted Gratings

Slotted Gratings are incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of modern and traditional properties. One of the main benefits of this type of grille is that it can be cut to order, which means it can be designed to accommodate the bespoke needs of your property.

Lattice Gratings

Perfectly equipped to supply air for ventilating underneath hallways or for vent or drainage grilles for period properties, manors and halls , Lattice Gratings are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. And, you will certainly be in good company if you choose this type of grille as it has been used for the Queen’s residence at Buckingham Palace, meaning it lends itself perfectly  for installation in period properties and listed buildings.

What are the downsides to doorstep vents?

One of the major downsides of doorstep vents is that their holes are large enough for mice and pests to squeeze through, which is why people turn to the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard in order to tackle this issue.

How to pest-proof my doorstep vent

 The good news is that if you do have a doorstep grille, you can pest proof it by investing in the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard – the latest pest-proofing solution developed by MouseMesh®.

Far more humane than using mouse traps or poison or glue traps to tack rodent issues, the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard covers the doorstep vent with a 3mm stainless steel woven mesh system in order to deter mice from entering your property. At the same time, the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard will also prevent slugs, wasps, cockroaches and help against other pest from entering your property via the doorstep vent.

Expertly developed to stop pests from entering your property through doorstep vents, especially in Victorian homes, the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard can also easily be cut to size.

Providing you with peace of mind that mice and other pests have no clear route into your home, the MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard comes complete with high performance bonding tape which is already attached to the back of the frame. Find out more by watching the video below or watch our how-to video by scrolling further down.

If you are looking for further information about how to install our MouseMesh® Doorstep Vent Guard, check out our video here.

And remember, if you have air bricks around your property, you can also opt to install MouseMesh® Air Brick Covers to stop mice entering via air bricks. Available in three different sizes and six different colours, these air brick covers have been designed to provide an effective deterrent, without impacting on the aesthetic appeal of your home. All of our covers come complete with easy to follow instructions for a straight forward fitting.

The MouseMesh® Air Brick Cover can also be fitted over air brick vents that are damaged, saving you from having to replace the actual air brick and, with absolutely no interruption to air flow.

Where to buy MouseMesh Doorstep Vent from?

 You can buy MouseMesh® directly from our website MouseMesh.com or from other DIY stores and garden centres that sell our MouseMesh® products over the counter. These include Travis Perkins, Buildbase and Jewsons.

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