Ask the Builder: Dealing With Chipmunks, Mice, and Other Varmints

The critters in your yard won’t give up their home easily so if you are determined to evict them, be prepared to take the long road.

This is just one entrance/exit to a large chipmunk den in my yard. Notice the huge pile of dirt the critters brought to the surface. Tim Carter/Tribune Content Agency

You and I share the planet with lots of other creatures. Quite a few of them can be very problematic. A year ago, I shared with you how chipmunks had ruined my patio made with concrete pavers. The fuzzy brown pests created a maze of tunnels under the stones, causing them to tilt and rock when you walk on them.

Mice, chipmunks, birds, and all sorts of insects can make your day go from bad to worse. I live in central New Hampshire, where mice do everything possible to cohabitate in just about every house. All those cartoons and children’s books featuring harmless mice who live behind the walls and up in the ceilings are based on fact.