As the nights get cooler, bugs and critters will seek shelter. Though your home is susceptible to bugs year-round, fall and winter are seasons of increased insect and pest activity. Your home, warm and loaded with food, might as well have a neon vacancy sign flashing above it.
Keep unwanted guests away with these three tips.
Seal Leaks and Gaps Where Pests Can Creep Through
Rodents use “ladders” such as latticework, powerlines, trees and bushes to gain entrance into your home. However, they can also climb walls and jump long distances.
An adolescent mouse can slip through a hole the size of a pen. With that in mind, you’ll need to inspect the exterior of your home, paying attention to these common entry points:
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Openings between gutters and fascia
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Vents and attic gables
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Crawl spaces and crawl space vents
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Gas, water, cable and other utility line connections to your home
In addition, weatherproof all windows and doors.
Keep Pest Attractors Away From Your Home
Pests are in constant search of food, water and nesting material. Don’t give them a reason to come near your home. Keep the following away from your house:
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Stacks of firewood
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Garbage cans
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Standing water
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Yard debris
Likewise, keep your gutters clean. Leaves, twigs and spiny pods make for a good nest that they can build in your attic.
Pest-Proof Your Food Storage
Your pantry is a smorgasbord for critters. Mice can tear through boxes of cereal and pasta and bags of flour and sugar. Keep grains in airtight containers such as glass jars. Large Rubbermaid bins are also good for protecting foods sealed in foil packets and plastic bags.
Also, be more diligent about cleaning up. Routinely sweep, vacuum and wipe down counters. Crumbs are enticing morsels to pests.
Once they take up residence in your home, mice and rodents can be pretty tough to get rid of. Your best approach is to keep them away to begin with. If you find your home overrun by critters, turn to the pros at Official Pest Prevention. Call (877) 711 2847 to schedule your appointment.
