Pests like insects and rodents can infest your home and cause all sorts of health problems if left unchecked. There are a variety of reasons why a bug or rodent will try and get into your home, and thus there are a number of different things that you can do to prevent them from gaining entrance. Understanding how you can proactively keep pests out of your house is the best way to avoid an infestation.
Clean the Kitchen and Store Food
Uncovered or easily accessed food can quickly attract pests into your home. In order to discourage bugs and rodents from entering your kitchen looking for something to eat, you should store food in containers that cannot be easily accessed. Make sure that no food is left out overnight, and ensure that you clean the surfaces in your kitchen and dining room regularly. Spilled liquids or food items that are left out for even a few hours can attract bugs, which can then quickly spread to other areas of your home.
Repair Leaks
Check your drains and plumbing to ensure that there are no clogs or leaks. Water damage within your home can cause mold and mildew growth, and can attract bugs looking for water and damp areas to make their nests in. Regularly cleaning your pipes, and contacting a professional in the case of leaks, can help prevent insects from inhabiting your home.
Cover the Trash
In the same vein as the above point, you'll want to cover your trash, recycling, and compost bins to prevent pests from getting inside. Using bungee cords or some other mechanism to hold the lids tightly shut (and replacing damaged or broken cans and containers) can help prevent rodents and raccoons from getting into your trash. Also be sure to wash out any food containers before throwing them away to prevent them from attracting pests.
Check Openings
Do a visual inspection around your home to find any openings that may allow bugs and rodents into your home. Look for signs of damage to window screens, openings along your baseboards, damaged or missing weatherstripping along your doors and windows, and even get up onto the roof to check to see if you have missing shingles or damaged flashing around your chimney and attic vents. Some damage, like broken window screens, can be quickly fixed by heading to the hardware store and purchasing replacement parts. Others, like holes in your roof, will require you to contact a professional as soon as possible to seal them up.
For professional help, contact a service like Suffolk Pest Control.
Share24 July 2016
