Keeping Pests out of Your Home
Posted on: 8 April 2015
The best way to avoid a pest problem is to make sure they do not enter your home in the first place. While it's almost impossible to keep every single insect or other pest out of your house, minimizing the odds by taking a few preventative measures can make a big difference. Here are some helpful ways you can keep those pesky bugs and rodents out of your home.
Seal Them Off
If a pest can't easily gain access to your home, it will look for food and shelter elsewhere. Even tiny cracks, holes, or gaps in doors and windows are an open invitation for insects and mice. Seal off all windows by using a bead of weather proof caulk wherever you see gaps. If you have weather stripping on your doors that are worn or coming off, replace them. A good weather strip should create a tight seal around the bottom of doors. For larger pests, simply block them off by making sure basement entryways and crawl spaces are covered.
Turn Lights Off
When it comes to insects, many bugs are naturally attracted to lights at night. When these insects come near your home, predatory insects like spiders will arrive as well since they're now provided with an easy food source. Install motion lights for your front and back porch that only turn on when there's movement nearby. This should help minimize the amount of evening insects that want to spend time near your threshold.
Keep It Clean
Insects are constantly scavenging for food sources. Keep them at bay by making sure all crumbs, food residue, and even cobwebs are cleaned. Vacuum regularly, and mop up any spills immediately. Wash bedding and try to prevent dust from building up on furniture surfaces. Remove trash and clutter from outside the home so that mice or rats don't have a convenient place to build a nest or hide.
Set Traps
There are plenty of different types of traps on the market designed to catch and kill pests. If you have an ant problem, there are specific traps designed just for them. If mice are your issue, you can choose to place traditional mice traps around the home, or purchase a more humane version that captures the mice and allows you to let them go. Glue traps are excellent at capturing spiders, roaches, and other pesky insects. Just be sure you only use glue traps indoors, as birds can get caught in them if they see the insects and attempt to eat them.
For more information, contact Alliance Pest Management, Inc.
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