We think of home as a safe, clean place to rest, eat, and socialize with family and friends. That’s why it is always disturbing when a pest invasion disrupts that peace of mind. Even more troublesome is a recurrence of pests after you think you have swatted, stomped, or sprayed them all. Good pest control requires sustained attention and effort to prevention, and these seven tips will help you eliminate and prevent infestations.
Deny Entry to the Home
You don’t have to worry about getting pests out if they never get in. The most common points of entry are gaps and cracks around windows, doors, vents, chimneys, and the connections for heating and cooling. A well-built house will be thoroughly sealed in those areas at the time of construction, but the weather will eventually create small openings. Summer sun, freezing and thawing in the winter, and the simple rise and fall of temperatures will slowly break those seals. Check areas like this annually and seal anything you find.
Remove Food Sources
Another very helpful step is to eliminate food sources for pests. If there is nothing in your home for them to eat, they will either leave or die–which is exactly what you want. The steps to achieving this are simple, but like so many others, they require persistence and consistency. Clean up food spills, and keep non-perishables in airtight containers. Thoroughly clean food handling and storage areas frequently, and take the trash out or place it in a sealed container.
Encourage Their Natural Enemies
Of course, you are the biggest enemy of pests in your home, but they do have others. Creating opportunities for those predators to attack other pests can go a long way toward reducing pest numbers. Certain species of birds are voracious bug-eaters, and you can install birdhouses to encourage them to come and take up residence at your home. Cats are an obvious choice for dealing with mice, but dogs are also effective at scaring away other larger pests.
Get An Exterminator to Help
Your best efforts can’t be on duty 24 hours a day, but a qualified exterminator’s work is always on the clock. Bennetts Services can kill pests that are already inside, and they can also create barrier treatments to exclude pests from your home. Putting those preventive measures in place will ensure that pests never get the chance to come inside. It is essential to keep the treatments fresh to get the best results, so a regular schedule of treatments is a key strategy for making sure that pests don’t come calling.
Stop the Free Rides
Free public transportation sounds like a good thing for humans, and pests like the idea as well. Be on the lookout for any opportunity to provide pests with an easy passage into your home. Treat your pets for fleas and ticks, or better yet, keep them as either 100% indoor companions or 100% outdoor. Be alert to fruits, vegetables, and plants that are brought in as well.
Make Your Home Less Home-like to Them
The environment has a big impact on pest populations. If your home has dark, unused areas, open them up and shed some light on them. Clean along baseboards and under furniture to discourage spiders. Keep moisture levels low by running a dehumidifier (found @ Dehumidifier Critic). Pick up and put away items that are stored on the floor. The fewer places available for pests to hide, eat, and lay eggs, the less likely you are to have problems.
Control Water
Even the most arid locations have occasional rain, and that moisture quickly becomes a great habitat for many different pests. It is vital to keep your home site well-drained. Be sure that gutters and downspouts are flowing properly, with their discharge directed away from the house. Check for any plumbing or septic leaks that could create wet areas, and see if the runoff from sidewalks and driveways moves away from the house.
Managing pests is a year-round job. If you let up in your efforts to keep them at bay, they’ll make the most of it. As long as you follow these tips carefully, you’ll be in a good position to deny pests the opportunity to share your home.
