With fall quickly approaching, it is time to start pest proofing your home for the coming season. With cold weather on the way, everyone and everything will want to move indoors. With your family starting to congregate in the living room as the temperatures cool down, you may have extra visitors as well. Rats, mice, cockroaches, and spiders also look for shelter when cold weather approaches. These kinds of pests can pose issues for your family and your home.
Rodents will nest in your walls and may chew at wires and drywall causing damage. They can also pass on diseases such as salmonella and hantavirus. Cockroaches contaminate food when they leave droppings around the home. This may also cause issues for people with asthma. Along with these problems, some spiders are poisonous and also pose a risk to your family.
There are ways that you can protect your home from these pests.
- Check your attic vents and openings to chimneys as well as other places that the home may have openings to the outside. Other locations to consider are mail slots and pet doors in the home. Make sure the openings are kept clean and routinely checked for pests.
- Cool, confined areas should be kept dry and ventilated. Check the basement and attic as well as any crawl spaces and clean up any dust or debris that may serve as nesting grounds for pests. Pests will inhabit areas that are moist so if you notice any water or condensation, get it dried out. You can keep areas like the garage and basement dry with the use of a dehumidifier.
- Cracks and crevices on the outside of the house should be sealed with caulk and steel wool to keep pests out. Check the areas where pipes enter the home as rodent can squish through really tiny spaces.
- Kitchen counters need to be kept clean and tidy. Food should all be stored in airtight containers and make sure to take garbage out on a regular basis. If there are crumbs and garbage in the home pests will come around hoping for food. Clean up after every meal and use a garbage can that has a lid both inside and outside the house.
- Weather stripping and loose mortar around the foundation and windows should be repaired. This will prevent cold air from getting into your house as well as help to prevent pests from entering.
- Firewood needs to be stored away from the house as pests will hide in the wood pile. You want areas where pests may hide to escape the cold weather as far away from the home as possible. If you have shrubbery near the home make sure it is well trimmed to reduce the chance of having pests in them.
- Repair any damage in window and door screens so that there are no openings for pests to crawl through.
- If there are items left on your doorstep, inspect them before bringing them into the house. A parcel that is delivered and left on the step all day is the perfect way for a pest to enter your home undetected. When you bring in stored items from the shed, such as Christmas decorations, inspect them as you unpack the items and make sure you are not bringing pests inside.
- Try not to leave pet food out for long periods of time. Pests will eat animal food as quickly as they will eat human food. Insects and rodents will be attracted to the pet food if it is left out.
- Make sure your outdoor drainage system is in working order. Gutters help to take water away from the home which may otherwise be a breeding ground for pests.
Take these steps when the temperature starts to drop and fall is approaching for a pest free environment. If you do end up with a pest problem despite your efforts, the professionals at Rox Bugs can help you to get rid of them.
