Not only are bugs annoying to deal with, but they can also spread disease and contaminate your food. Most pests can make their way into your home through the tiniest of cracks, so in order to prevent bugs in your home, you have to make sure your house is properly sealed to the outside.
TriGuard Pest Control is here to help you prevent pests and, if needed, evict them from your property.
1) Improperly Sealed Doors and Windows
When doors and windows aren’t properly sealed, it’s easy for bugs to find their way in. Even the smallest crack is an invitation for them to enter your home. Here’s how you can solve this problem:
- Re-caulk frames. Gaps in the frame can invite unwelcome visitors. Reseal them to keep bugs out!
- Install a threshold. Aluminum or steel thresholds can help close the gaps between the door and the frame to give bugs less room to come in.
- Install a door sweep. For added protection, a sweep can tighten the seal, preventing drafts, dirt, and bugs from becoming nuisances.
2) Poorly Maintained Yards
If unwelcome letters from your HOA aren’t enough incentive to keep a tidy yard, maybe bug invasions are. An unkept yard or poorly maintained lawn allows pests to breed. More bugs in the yard means more bugs are likely to make it inside, whether by hijacking a ride right through the door or finding their way through nooks and crannies around the house.
The biggest issue in the yard is standing water. Mosquitoes need water to breed, so a pool of water in your yard is an invitation for a mosquito infestation! To keep your yard pest-free, follow these tips:
- Keep your grass trimmed.
- Rake leaves and remove other organic garbage.
- Level any low areas in the lawn where water can pool.
- Change water in birdbaths and fountains every two weeks.
3) Breeches in the Home’s Perimeter
Just like a poorly sealed door, bugs can easily enter your home through cracks in the foundation, walls, and roof! Check up on these typically vulnerable areas:
- Cables, heating, and plumbing: Cables and pipes run through the outside walls as well as the inside. To ensure bugs can’t find their way in, we recommend sealing entry points around these items.
- Dryers, vents, and exhaust fans: These openings can also make it easy for bugs to come in. Be sure to frequently inspect vent dampers to ensure they are functioning properly and aren’t stuck open!
- Cracks in foundation and siding: Bugs can squeeze through just about any opening. Be sure to perform thorough inspections of your house’s foundation, and re-seal any gaps you find. You should also pay special attention to where side walls meet the foundation, which is often a favorite hiding spot for bugs!
- Weep holes: If your home is brick, then it almost certainly contains weep holes, which are intentional gaps left in the mortar. They provide drainage and ventilation to protect your home but are often a route inside for pests. Simply cover them with a small, permeable screen like steel wool or a product made specifically for filling open mortar joints, such as the Rid-O-Mice Stainless Steel Weep Hole Covers.
4) Chimneys
- Large openings like chimneys can’t exactly be sealed airtight, but that doesn’t mean that you have to let bugs in! There are several things you can do to minimize the chances of a pest infestation:
- Close the flue. Many homeowners forget to shut the chimney flue after the embers die down. Closing it will prevent rodents, bats, and other pests from gaining access to your home.
- Install a chimney cap to seal off the top of your chimney. Seal any cracks in your chimney as well, which will prevent beetles and other insects from crawling inside. As a bonus, this will keep your house warmer!.
- Install a fireplace door. This will seal off an otherwise accessible entry point for pests. Simply enclosing your fireplace with a grate or a mesh covering is not enough to keep small insects from infiltrating your home through the chimney.
- Burn old firewood first. Burning the oldest logs first will decrease the likelihood of insects becoming well established in your firewood. Store firewood off the ground and as far away from your home as possible. When you bring firewood inside, be sure to use it in a timely manner.
5) Food and Clutter
The best way to keep a single bug from becoming an infestation is to eliminate their source of food and their hiding spots. Follow these tips to make sure that pests aren’t making your house their home:
- Eliminate clutter. Pests love to hide, and clutter keeps you from seeing pest problems clearly! Some of their favorite items include piles of newspaper and cardboard boxes, but they can hide in any cluttered area. This includes inside your home (in areas such as basements or attics) as well as outside your home (garbage or recycling cans, outdoor storage, etc.)
- Don’t leave out open food and water. To keep pests from making your kitchen an oasis, keep all food and ingredients stored in airtight containers or the refrigerator whenever possible. Don’t let dirty dishes sit for long periods of time, particularly in dirty, standing water. Also remember to put away pet food overnight, or use containers that are designed to keep pests out.
- Keep food waste in the kitchen. Refrain from throwing food trash away in wastebaskets throughout the house. Instead, always use the kitchen trash can. Don’t forget to take out the trash and sanitize the trash can regularly.
Need Some Help From Experts?
Preventing bugs isn’t always your number-one priority, but trust us when we say it’s much easier than dealing with an existing infestation! If you need help bug-proofing your home, let the experts at TriGuard Pest Control help. We know the places that bugs love to hide, and more importantly, we know how to keep them out. Not only can we eliminate any current problems, but we can also give you the knowledge you need to get your home ready to defend itself against any future pests!