Call Contractor’s Best Pest Solution Now:
At best, household pests like ants, roaches, and spiders may give household members the collywobbles, but at worst, they can bite, sting, and spread disease, and some have the capacity to cause damage to your home. Keeping pests out of your house in the first place is the key to preventing infestations and enjoying insect-free indoor living. These tips will help ensure the creepy crawlies stay outside where they belong.
Seal Pest Entrances
It can be difficult to find where pests are entering your home, because they can squeeze through very small cracks and gaps. The most common entrance points include baseboards, windows, and gaps around pipes and service entrances. Use caulk to seal around baseboards, door and window frames, and vents and pipes that lead outside. Repair window screens, and look for telltale signs of pests, such as dead bugs, droppings, and trails.
Keep Clutter Under Control
Pests love clutter, which makes a great hiding place. In some cases, clutter can even double as food. Keep the clutter in your home to a minimum, especially items like newspapers, magazines, clothing and other potential food sources.
Starve Your Pests
Pests usually come into your home to forage for food. If they find nothing to eat, chances are they’ll leave on their own. Keep all of your food tightly sealed in impenetrable plastic bags or in containers with tight fitting lids. Try to limit your eating to the kitchen or dining room, and vacuum up crumbs as soon as they fall. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight unless you thoroughly rinse them first to remove food particles, and run your garbage disposal as soon as food enters the trap. Keep a tight lid on your garbage can at all times. Vacuum your home at least twice a week to remove wayward food particles and other food sources.
Keep it Dry
Pests need water like everyone else. Fix dripping faucets right away, wipe up standing water in sinks and on countertops, and eliminate other sources of water to ensure your pests have nothing to drink.
Clean Up Your Yard
Piles of brush are pest magnets. Every spring and fall, remove piles of yard debris before they become the source of an infestation, and clean your gutters to remove dead, damp leaves. Spray the outside of your home with a power hose periodically to eliminate insect nests and spider webs. Keep the wood components of your home free of dead leaves, grass clippings and other moisture-rich debris that can prevent wood from drying out, making it an inviting habitat for pests. Trim the trees and vegetation around your home to minimize contact between the building and the plants.
Know When to Call a Pro
If you see signs of infestation, do your due diligence to determine the best way to proceed. County exchanges are a valuable source for DIY pest control. Avoid using store-bought pesticides whenever possible, as these are highly toxic and often do little to fix the problem. It’s better to have a pest control specialist inspect your home and take care of the infestation once and for all, rather than repeatedly trying to eliminate the pests with ineffective chemicals without success.
