Your home is your safe haven, and the last thing you want is your safe place to be infested with bugs and other pests. That is why our team at Sigma Pest Control is sharing their best tips for pest proofing your home.
Where to Focus Your Efforts for Pest Proofing Your Home
From ants to mice, there are many pests that can find their way into your home. But there are plenty of things you can do to reduce the number of pests that make it past the threshold. Many of our best tips for pest proofing your home revolve around blocking entry points and taking care of landscaping, so let’s take an even deeper look at how you can help pest control efforts.
Basements and Crawl Spaces
Two of the most important areas to pay attention to when you are pest proofing your home are the basement and your crawl space. This is because these cool and dark underground areas are one of the favorite entry points for pests of all kinds. In order to keep them from gaining entry, it is important for you to…
- Keep your laundry off of the floor if your washer and dryer are located in the basement. This tip for pest proofing your home is especially important in regards to wet laundry because this extra moisture will attract pests.
- If you store non-perishable food in your basement for emergency situations make sure they are sealed in airtight containers.
- Make sure to keep your walls and floor dry. This moisture will attract all sorts of pests into your home.
- Look for any cracks in the walls or foundation and make sure to seal the ones that you find.
The Walls
There are quite a few pests that can invade your home and take up residence in your walls. Some examples of these pests include cockroaches and carpenter ants. The best way to deter these pests is by blocking any access point they could use to gain entry.
One tip you should always remember when it comes to pest proofing your home is to seal any cracks or gaps located around the foundation. You will also want to make sure that there are no water leaks and that all vegetation around the outside of your home is far away from your home’s foundation. Trees and bushes that come into contact with your home provide a path for pests to enter your home.
Floors
Making sure to vacuum and sweep your floors regularly will work to remove insects while also eliminating potential food sources. You also want to take the time to inspect your furniture legs and underneath your furniture for any pests that may be hiding and laying eggs in these hidden areas.
The Bedroom
Another important area to focus on when pest proofing your home is the bedroom. One thing you can do to avoid pests in the bedroom is to never bring discarded furniture into your home. You want to avoid this because you never know what could be crawling on the surface of this furniture.
The bedroom is the prime spot for bed bugs to accumulate so knowing the signs can help you schedule treatment before an infestation can break out. Some of the signs of bed bugs include:
- Blood stains on your sheets and pajamas
- Fecal stains on your mattress or bedding
- Bed bug skins, exoskeletons, or shells
The Porch
When it comes to your porch you want to make sure that the area underneath your porch is free of any and all debris that may attract pests. You will always want to be careful of any plants you bring onto your porch because they can be home to pests that can and will eventually make their way and your home.
Windows
An area that is oftentimes overlooked when pest-proofing your home are windows. This is simply because it seems like the most obvious area for pests to seek entry into your home. Windows and window screens allow enough room for pests such as mosquitoes, stink bugs, and ladybugs to find their way into your home.
The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to check for damage and fix any openings or holes immediately. You should also check that your window screens are tight-fitting and that they have no damage that could provide an opening for a pest to enter through.
The Roof
Switching gears from insects, another pest that is important to pest proof your home for are rodents. And one way to do this is by focusing on your roof. Mice and rats are able to fit through the tiniest and tightest of spaces so having a professional check your roof for potential entry points is extremely important when it comes to preventing an infestation.
You will want to keep an eye out for loose shingles, make sure that all of your vents, roof returns, skylights, or flashing along your chimney don’t have gaps that could be access points for these rodents.
The Attic
Much like with your roof, the attic is another area to pay attention to when you are taking precautions to keep pests out of and away from your home. You will first want to make sure that there are no raccoons, squirrels, or mice already living in there. If you do you’ll want to contact the pest professionals immediately. You will then want to make sure that there are no gaps or holes in the roofline for any other pests to enter through and seal off any that you may find.
Doors
The last tip we want to give you when you are pest proofing your home is to pay attention to your doors. Spiders and other pests can enter through a gap that is one-sixteenth of an inch and sometimes even smaller, so making sure that there are no gaps in the weather stripping between the door and the door threshold is vital.
Let us Help Pest Proof Your Home
While making sure to follow each of these tips thoroughly will help keep pests out of and away from your home, it won’t deter them completely. Thus making quarterly pest control services essential to protecting you and your family from these unwanted intruders. Contact us today for more information about our pest control packages and how we can help keep you and your family safe and sound all year round.
