Routine maintenance can help you outsmart pests season-to-season
Sealing interior cracks along baseboards and window frames keeps pests from entering your home through small openings they use to hide and travel.
Addressing landscape issues like wood piles and thick brush removes breeding grounds for pests, and adding pest-repellent plants helps keep mosquitoes away from your yard.
Removing food temptations by sealing pet food, covering trash bins, and storing dry goods properly prevents pests from finding easy meals in your home.
Hiring a local pest control professional provides reliable seasonal treatments and preventive strategies, helping you stay ahead of common pest behaviors before infestations develop.
From minuscule fleas to rats large enough to make you leap onto a dining room chair, pests can be a frightening discovery in your home. Not only is an infestation unhealthy, but it can also lower your home's value and marketability. Get ahead of potential problems by ensuring your home keeps pests out and remains void of temptations beckoning them indoors.
What's the first step in DIY pest control? Keep pests from crossing over from the outside into your living space. Pests can enter through incredibly small cracks, including holes in your window screens or poorly sealed doorways.
Seal up interior cracks along your baseboards and other major joints such as eaves, corners, and below window frames. The majority of pests prefer to stay out of sight during the day, so they seek small places to hide until they need to find food.
There's a reason why basements and crawl spaces are notorious for hosting large spiders, cockroaches, and other nightmarish creatures. The damp and dark atmosphere is an ideal place for many insects and rodents to thrive without being noticed.
Additionally, homeowners are less likely to spot small cracks and holes in their basement until issues like leaks and pests arise. Call a foundation repair company for an inspection if you suspect pests are entering your home from underground.
Like your basement, the hidden spots in your attic and roof can also brew up trouble. Rodents, squirrels, and even raccoons can make homes in your home through open entryways in your eaves.
Other common roof pests include wasps, bees, hornets, and other nesting insects that need to set up a safe and warm space for the winter. Schedule a roof inspection at least once a year and request extra help pointing out pest potential.
Does your lawn look appealing to local pests? Piles of wood, uncovered compost, and other dense areas can become breeding grounds for pests throughout the year. In addition to clearing away any rubble or thick brush, consider adding pest-repellent plants that can keep insects like mosquitoes at bay.
Take a look at trees that have stretched their reach to the roof or eaves of your home. Squirrels and other animals like to make the leap to your roof and burrow into the attic when they have easy access.
While keeping your home clean is the most obvious way to keep pests at bay, there are a few unexpected trouble spots many homeowners miss. For example, be sure to clear away pet food bowls after serving up a meal and keep dry food bags sealed and out of sight.
Get creative with solutions for your garbage and recycling bin. Tuck wastebaskets away behind cupboard or closet doors when possible, and always cover with a lid. If you toss something a bit smellier than usual, make sure to bring the bag outside before it attracts visitors.
Lastly, remember that not all pests need traditional food to survive. For example, pantry pests can cut through paper packaging, leaving you to deal with some kitchen bugs. Drain flies and gnats can also live off the organic material in plants and plumbing.
We all know that mosquitoes need standing water to breed, but countless other pests love a humid and water-filled space just as much. Silverfish, earwigs, and even cockroaches love damp environments.
In addition to trouble spots like basements and leaky attics, look out for standing water in your yard as well. Poor drainage or foundation issues could call for an expert to reroute excess water from a recent storm.
While not as common, bugs like cockroaches—and dare we say it, bed bugs—can come in through boxes and packages. Be sure to check the bottom and inside of boxes for signs of pests before placing the folded cardboard in your recycling area.
Do you know what pests are common in your state? The EPA outlines the most commonly found house pests so you can determine which ones pose a threat to your health, comfort, and home's structural safety. For example, it's important to quickly identify signs of termites in or outside your home, especially termites common in your region of the country.
Prevention is always the best pest control method, but knowing the early signs can keep a small issue from growing into a full infestation. Determine which types of insects could be biting you in your yard. When there are too many bugs outside your home, they are more likely to make the transition indoors, especially as the temperature starts to drop.
Your local exterminator can also explain the best preventive treatments for seasonal pest problems. The majority of insects and rodents may use your home for shelter in the colder months then build nests and breed as soon as the weather warms up.
Seasonal treatments can help you get ahead of common pest behaviors, as well as keep pest control costs low in the long run.
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This company does it right. Firstly, I want to say that Landan was a joy to work with. He was so kind, transparent, and had everything under control. His entire team showed up ready to work and they were all very respectful of the fact that we were in an office space. A little backstory – we...
Krumlauf FloorsWe were so impressed by the services provided! I would absolutely recommend this company, and I will use them again -- very nice people, and very high quality work. The owner even did a quality control followup call the next day. I had to tell him his cleaners did a much better job than me.
GG Cleaning LLC<p>I must say the plumber arrived as promised. And, since I had called at 5 pm , right at closing time, the fact that they were able to get a plumber out the first thing in the morning ( 7:45 am) was appreciated. The work was good.</p> <p><strong>BUT </strong>pricing was...
A-Plumbing, Inc..the provider by name TIM FANNING from RITEWAY PLUMBING,PO Box 11,Galloway,Ohio 43119 came to my residence at 665 kerr street,columbus,ohio on 4,21,2014 around 10.00 am to examine and give an estimate to fix the bathroom shower at the above address.the knob for the faucet was loose but the...
I purchased a deal through Angie's List for this service and received a call from Spencer the next day to schedule the appointment. Having recently purchased the home, I let him know I was looking for an ongoing service provider so he explained their recommended service schedule and the price...
Bulwark Exterminating, LLCThey were very good. They got rid of all of the pests and continually put down bait boxes and also sprayed for various bugs as well.
Magic ExterminatingThe exterminating company sends a knowledgeable person over to the building if the tenants have seen some bugs or pests and they take care of it. They are very good. They are very responsive. They do quality work and their price isn't bad. They come at the time they say they will. The...
Ohio Exterminating CoTHE HOME WE PURCHASED HAD BEEN TREATED BY THEM, AND THERE WERE STILL PROBLEMS, THE INSPECTOR POINTED OUT MANY PROBLEMS. BEWARE THAT WARRANTIES WILL ONLY TREAT THE SPOT WHERE PESTS ARE FOUND, THE PESTS WILL JUST MOVE. I WOULDN'T USE ORKIN.
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