If you really want to prevent pests from invading your home you have to stop the problem before it starts. That’s right, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to winning the battle against household rodents, insects, and all those other creepy critters. With that in mind, the following 5 tips will help you prevent pests from entering your home.
1. Fill-In the Cracks
All those cracks and crevices around your home windows, door frames, siding, and brick exteriors are basically open doors for insects. Likewise, gaps and holes in interior walls due to plumbing and wiring are another wide-open entrance for critters.
In order to prevent these little breezeways from becoming insect attractions, you must fill-in the gaps. For cracks and crevices, slowly apply a line of block ensuring the space is adequately filled. Larger openings in your homes interior walls may call for a plasterboard patch to properly seal the potential pest entrance
2. Screen-Out Unwanted Visitors
Almost all homes have openings that are just part of the structure design and function. For instance, the openings in your roof eaves are there to vent the roof cavity and the crawl space on the side of the house acts as an access point for raised foundation homes.
Just because these openings are necessary doesn’t mean pests can use them as they please. Cover your vents with steel porch screen to prevent rodents from entering your roof cavity. Likewise, a piece of plywood or framed screen is another great deterrent for critters trying to gain access through openings on the side of your home.
3. Take Out the Trash
Putting food away everyday is a great way to keep cockroaches and ants out of your kitchen, but that rubbish bin is pretty tempting. Even if your kitchen rubbish bin has a lid, its best to not only take your trash out every night, but also make sure your outdoor bin is well away from the house.
The absence of food scraps will definitely keep those hungry kitchen creatures away. But if kitchen pests do become a consistent problem, its best to call a pest control professional to prevent any further infestation.
4. Cleanup the Clutter
Household clutter makes the perfect hiding and breeding place for pests of all kinds. Make your house that much more pest-free by cleaning up the clutter. Vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning your house on a regular basis will also reduce the likelihood of pests setting up shop in your home.
5. Groom the Family Pets
Cats and dogs are like city buses for outdoor pests looking for a one-way ride into your home. Since its impossible to thoroughly wash your pets everyday, brushing them when they enter the house will reduce the risk of any bugs that are along for the ride.
In addition, using monthly flea and tick treatments is another great way to make sure your pets aren’t creating a pest problem. While you’re at it, spray your yard with grass-safe flea and tick treatment to create a bug-free barrier around your home.
By following the prevention tips above, you can stop your home from turning into a roach motel.
