One of the cheapest ways to save on pest control costs is to prevent a pest invasion into your home. Unwanted creatures often make their home their own because they find the ideal conditions to nest and feed. Eliminating these attractions with effective pest prevention techniques will let the pests know they are not welcome.
Pest Prevention Tips
Practice good housekeeping. Keeping your home clean isn’t just important for aesthetic reasons; it also helps prevent pest invasion.
— Practice green pest control by not leaving food out in the open.
— Place unsealed containers in your pantry, cabinets, or counter in resealable plastic bags or plastic food storage containers that have lids.
— Store pet food in storage containers with lids and feed your pets inside.
— Take out the trash regularly. Make sure your outdoor trash can has lids.
— Clean your air ducts regularly and make sure they are properly sealed. Repair or replace ductwork that is damaged.
— Repair or replace the vapor barrier in your crawl space.
— Make sure the attic and basement have good ventilation.
— Hire a pest control company to inspect your attic and crawl space every six months. They can recommend ways to prevent pest invasions or control any colonies they find.
Keep humidity under control. Moisture in and around the home can cause health problems, mold damage, and be an open invitation to unwanted critters that thrive in damp environments.
— Fix leaky roof, pool or hot tub, and fix broken pipes.
— Make sure there is no standing water around your house. Crawl spaces that don’t drain well, clogged gutters, and overwatering your yard can all lead to standing water.
— Refresh water in birdbaths regularly.
— Keep your attic and basement dry and well ventilated.
— Replace old weather stripping around your windows.
— Repair loose mortar around your home’s basement and/or foundation.
Secure the entrances to your home. You lock doors to deter predators, and securing any entrance to your home will do the same for pests.
— Keep your windows closed. If you enjoy fresh air in your home, install a screen to help keep out insects, rodents, birds, and bats.
— Make sure your crawl space has a barrier that prevents animals from sheltering under your house. Pests like prairie dogs and rats can quickly move into a tight space and have a large family before you realize you have squatters.
— Cover eaves and chimneys to prevent birds from building nests and bats from hanging out.
— Cover quarter-inch or larger holes on the exterior of your home. This size is perfect for small insects such as ants or termites to enter your house.
Maintain your landscaping. Just like your home, when your yard looks tidy, the chances of pests thinking your home looks cozy are less likely.
— Keep piles of wood, bricks, cinder blocks, rocks, leaves, etc. away from your home. Piles are great places for pests to hide and make a home, so pile wood off the ground and away from any structures.
— Get rid of dead wood. Stumps, logs, and the like can attract insects that live to eat old wood, such as termites and carpenter ants.
— Hot tubs, pools and trickling fountains can look amazing and be relaxing. However, pests such as mosquitoes, carpenter ants, termites, and rodents feel the same way when they are attracted to the heat and/or humidity produced by these accessories.
— Use a cover on hot tubs and pools when not in use to prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the water and frogs from thinking they have a new swimming hole.
— Regularly trim shrubs and trees so they are at least six inches from your home, garage, or any outbuildings.
By taking steps to prevent pests in your home, you can have peace of mind knowing that your investment and place of residence are safe. However, if a rogue plague makes its way into the troops, call in a professional to help you reclaim your home.
~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010