Everyone assumes that summer is the worst time of the year. Pests are most active in the summer.
They, like us, have to find shelter during the winter months.
If your home is not prepared they may be successful in penetrating your defenses.
There are many things you can do. Here are a couple tips that may help you defend your home.
Seal all Entry Points
When the fall weather hits the rodents start trying to find shelter.
They look for covered areas with protections from the elements.
When they are looking for a home for winter they are looking for a place to eat, nest, and reproduce.
Too bad your home is the perfect place for all three of these things.
If you block and seal the cracks and holes leading into your home you can be sure to stop the mice and rats in their tracks.
Mice can squeeze through a gap as small as 6mm so make sure that you leave no crack uncalked.
Calk is the best stuff to use. It is waterproof and very impressive with how long it lasts.
Fix All Leaks/Drips
This may seem weird, but pests need water.
They can go without food for a long time, but without water they cannot last.
If you take the water or moisture away you’ll have an increased chance of no pests.
Leaky pipes and faucets are the main culprits when trying to figure out where the water is leaking.
Close to your house is a problem as well.
Your air conditioning unit is one of the larger culprits of being close to your home but not inside.
They often leak, it’s a well known fact. The problem is all of the pests can drink and come into your home.
You may say “that your air conditioning unit is on during the winter.”
The only problem with this logic is that the moisture is still there from those warm fall days.
It’s worth the money if you can get it fixed.
It really helps keep mold and pests as far away as possible.
Store Wood Away From Your Home
Wood piles are literally the worst thing for pests.
Try to keep them as far as you can from your home.
I know it’s a struggle if you have a wood burning fireplace but wood piles are breeding grounds for all pests.
Pests like mice, ants, termites, and spiders are all looking for a cozy woodpile to settle down and start a family.
It’s truly a scary thought!! If you do burn wood in your home make sure to bring it in and burn it immediately so that the bugs don’t have a chance to escape into your home.
Trim the Trees and Bushes
The same concept applies with trees and shrubs close to your home.
Trimming these pest homes can make it so that they don’t have a way into your house.
It also keeps home looking clean and stops pests from coming close.
When plants are touching the outside of your house it gives a trail for the pests to crawl right into your home.
Trimming your trees and shrubs 1 foot from the siding of your house really improves your defenses.
If the area around the base is full of debris then you can also have an issue with pests finding homes.
Vacuum Regularly
As well as needing a source of water to survive, insects and rodents also need a source of food.
Crumbs may not seem like much food to you, but to insects or rodents, leftover crumbs or food scraps are a feast.
Make sure that you vacuum regularly, picking up all of the crumbs left behind by your meals. If you have hardwood floors, sweep them daily.
It’s pretty weird but if you eat in the kitchen you will substantially lower the pests food.
This will make your life easy, as you will only have one room in your house where you need to be mindful of crumbs.
If you feel like your efforts aren’t quite doing the trick, it might be time to call a pest control company, such as White Pest Control.
There are lots of companies out there that do a great job, so no matter who you go with, pest control can be a very effective way to keep your home pest free.
