Are you looking to pest-proof your home before the winter approaches? You can do this in many ways to ensure pests don’t find their way into your home for shelter and food. As the weather turns colder, pests, including roaches, mice, and others tend to make their way into households and cause many issues in the process. Read on to find out different ways you can ensure you keep your home pest free this winter.
Here are some general pest control tips you can use to keep the pests outside where they belong.
Make Sure Your Kitchen Is Tidy
Besides shelter, pests enter homes in search of food. The best way you can help ensure that they don’t have access to any of your food is to avoid leaving food out on countertops. Also, be sure to give your floors a good sweep and mop. Any crumbs lingering on the floor can be enough for pests to get by. Keep your sink clean and clear of food.
Secure All Access Points
Even though pests love to eat, they won’t have a way of gaining entry into your home if your home is properly sealed. You can start by ensuring even the tiniest of cracks are secured in doors, windows, screens, and others. You can use caulk on your doors and windows for cracks and holes. Also, be sure that any screens you have been replaced or fixed prior to the winter since this is another good way for pests to enter. If possible, use a door sweep. Pests tend to enter under doors, and a sturdy door sweep prevents this.
Eliminate Messes
If you have a lot of mess in or around your home, now is the time to eliminate it. Pests are also attracted to clutter, so make sure you do some organization inside and outside your home. Pests are attracted to cardboard since it gives them a good hiding place. Keep cardboard boxes outside in the garage, or eliminate them altogether if you don’t need them. Instead, use plastic containers with covers.
Eliminate mess outside your home, particularly in your yard. This means getting rid of piles of wet leaves and any garbage you have lying around. If you allow garbage to accumulate outside your home, pests can hide until they are able to access your home.
Repair Dripping Faucets
Pests love puddles of water. If you have dripping faucets in your home, be sure to get them fixed right away. Not only can puddles of water cause mold growth, but it attracts many different pests.
Call the Professionals
If you have done all that you can do to try to ward off pests and nothing seems to be working, call in a professional exterminator. They can help identify and seal off access points and help with other pest control tactics.