KITCHENER - With the weather turning cool, critters will start trying to warm up. One of their main ways to fight the cold: getting into your house.

"If it is rodents that do enter your home, a lot of their saliva and feces do carry bacteria, so if they do enter the home then there can be health issues there," explains Chris Campbell with Orkin Canada.

Here are a few ways to prevent pests like rat and mice from taking refuge in your home.

Fill or cover holes in the exterior of your home

Mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime to get into your house.

Rats, meanwhile, can get into a hole the size of a quarter.

It's recommended that you get or do an exterior home inspection, filling any holes with copper mesh wool and caulking around it to prevent rodent infestation.

You should also examine your door seals for tight fits.

Garage doors are responsible for a decent portion of home access for rodents.

Keep waste refuse tidy

Rodents will use trash for harbourage, making nests and areas to keep warm.

Keeping your used cardboard boxes out of reach can reduce their ability to nest, breed and take shelter in your home.

"Clutter means harbourage area where they're going to be nesting and living over the winter months," Campbell explains.

He recommends also cutting back bushes from the house—that can help reduce insects and rodents.