There is nothing worse than being uncomfortable in your own home because there is a pest of some kind inside. While there’s not a lot you can do once your home is infested, there are a few things that you can do to try and keep pests from never getting inside in the first place. Here is a list of things that we at Earthwise Pest Management think you should do to pest-proof your home!
Outside
We know It seems a little weird that we are about to talk about the outside of your house when you are trying to keep pests outside, but maintaining your yard has a huge effect on pest management.
Clean Up The Yard
Cleaning your yard is a great way to minimize the chance of pest infestation. First, clear your property of all of the branches, brush, and debris that pests could potentially be living or hiding in. Once you take away the habitat that the pests live in, they will be more likely to leave. Second, clear any standing water on your property that pests could potentially be breeding in. If you have a pond, consider installing a fountain or some other way to keep the water flowing.
Keep Your Gutters And Attic Vents Maintained
Keeping your gutters clean is another good way to drive pests away from your property. When your gutters are dirty, they are prone to not completely draining, leaving standing water that is appealing to pests such as mosquitoes. Another way of keeping pests at bay is keeping your attic vents in good condition, as this is crucial to keeping rodents out of your attic. If an attic vent is slightly open or broken, rodents and bugs may enter your house through the vent.
Seal Your Windows, Doors, And Trim
While sealing your windows, doors, and trim doesn’t seem like a crucial way to keep pests out of your home, it really is! Pests like cockroaches and mice specialize in flattening themselves in order to get into homes. Did you know a mouse can flatten its entire body? A mouse’s head is the widest part of its body, and if a mouse can fit its head through a crack, it can easily get in.
Change Your Exterior Light Bulbs
What’s more classic than bugs flying around the porch light until they get zapped? Probably not much. That being said, bugs really are attracted to light, and something as simple as changing a couple of light bulbs can lessen the number of bugs by your door! Change out all the old white light bulbs for new halogen bulbs! Softer lights in the shades of pink or orange are less appealing to flying bugs! What an easy pest management strategy!
Inside
Ahhhh, now we are getting to what you wanted to talk about!
Inspect Packaging While You Bring It Inside
Keep an eye out for pests when you carry items into your home. Pests often will hitch a ride as a strategy to get inside. As well as inspecting the items you are carrying inside, also keep in mind mice are patient little creatures and could we waiting for you to open the door for them as they run in.
Keep Your Basement and Attic Well Ventilated
Much like your yard, you should keep your basement and attic dry and well-ventilated. Pests like cockroaches that originated in tropical climates are always looking for a nice warm and wet environment to remind them of home.
Inspect Door and Window Screens
Door and window screens are an important way to not only keep pests out, but also keep your window sill clean. If a screen is broken or damaged, pests may be sitting on your window sill just waiting for you to open it on a hot summer’s day. Inspecting your screens will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
Keep Your Recycling Outside
When you finish that cola and throw it in your kitchen recycling bin, you really just threw a sticky mess of pest attractant! Most pests are attracted to sugary scents and foods. A solution to this would be keeping recycling out of in the garage. If you don’t want to put it outside, that fine, but be sure to carefully rinse out recyclables before throwing them under the sink!
Sounds Like a Lot, Doesn’t It?
That was a lot of information in a short amount of time, but we hope this list can help you with your residential pest management. Keeping your home so tidy can be a burden, but trust us, it is way less work than dealing with a pest infestation. At Earthwise Pest Management, we are not only dedicated to exterminating pests for customers but also making sure infestations don’t happen in the first place. Contact us today to speak with one of our experienced pest management professionals today!
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