Nobody wants uninvited company in their home. It may be spiders or cockroaches or mice, but regardless of the intruder, there are some basic things that any homeowner can do to help keep their homes pest free.
Keep Your Yard Trimmed and Debris Free
Keeping pests out of your home starts with the exterior of your home. The more pests you have in your yard, the more likely that some of them will come indoors. Tall grass, garbage, and other yard debris attracts rodents and other bugs. It is particularly important to keep these things away from the foundation and walls of your home, as they can create a “bridge” to directly enter the home. Trim back shrubs and plants that touch your home. It is also advisable to use rocks as landscaping directly bordering the home rather than mulch, pine straw, and other bedding that provides the perfect home for pests.
Inspect the Exterior
One of the most important things you can do to keep pests out is to make sure that there are no easy entry points for them. Walk around your entire house and check the foundation and walls for cracks and crevices. Holes cut for pipes and wires can often be the culprit, so examine these areas carefully and fill any extra space with steel wool. Lastly, examine all doors and windows to ensure that they close tightly. Check for holes in screens and replace any that you find.
Consider Changing Your Outdoor Lighting
We all know that insects are attracted to light. In the evening, you will find a swarm of various insects buzzing around your porch light. Unfortunately, outdoor lights are typically in front of entry points like windows and doors. These clouds of bugs will enter your home as soon as the door or windows are opened. One of the best ways to prevent this is to simply switch out your light bulb. Insects are less attracted to pink, yellow, and orange lights and will be less prone to hover near your home.
Get Rid of Excess Moisture
Dark, warm, humid places are the favorite environment of most insects. According to the KC Star, this can affect the entire house and require the use of a dehumidifier, or it may be as simple as fixing the bathroom faucet. Check all drains and faucets, both indoors and out, to ensure that there are no leaks. In your yard, make sure that there is no standing water where insects, especially mosquitos, breed. Pay special attention to check under sinks for excess moisture that you might not otherwise notice, and fix anything you find.
Keep Your Home Clean
One of the most basic tips to prevent pests is to keep your home clean and tidy. If bugs and rodents don’t have access to food and water, they will be much less likely to enter or stay in your home. This includes regularly performing common household chores like sweeping and vacuuming to remove food crumbs. It is also important to take out the garbage frequently and prevent clutter as much as possible. While it is not realistic to always have a perfectly clean home, the more you can do, the better protected against pests it will be.
These basic tips can help you to keep your home pest free, however, sometimes even the best prevention falls short. If you find yourself in a position where you need help with pest control, give Six Brothers Pest Control a call today. We can help solve your pest problems. Guaranteed!
