Studio portrait of a brown domestic rat
Simple Techniques for Pest-free Residences
When the temperature starts falling, your home starts looking more inviting to pests. In addition to nosy neighbors and relatives that you’d rather not hang out with, all kinds of insects and animals view your residence as a warm, inviting space.
For some pests, escaping the cold is a matter of life and death, so you’ll have to fight to preserve your home’s integrity. Here are three pest proofing tips that are easy to follow with inexpensive materials from your local Rocky’s store.
1. Fortify Your Firewood
Your wood-burning stove or hearth brings class to your home, but its fuel source could also introduce pests. Various insect species love dead wood, and so do the arachnids and rodents that prey upon them.
Keep your wood pile dry and out of contact with the bare ground to make it burn better and reduce the number of insects it harbors. Pest management experts say that you should avoid stacking wood against exterior building walls so that it’s not easy for critters to travel indoors.
Buying a few long wooden planks or some pavers from your local hardware store is a good way to build a flat base that you can use to stockpile lots of kindling. Also be sure to pick up a tarp to keep it covered.
2. Inspect and Seal Your Property
The pests that want to get inside your home aren’t going to walk up to the front door and knock politely. Instead, they’ll seek out-of-sight entry points that are easier to access freely as they come and go.
It’s up to you to correct your home’s vulnerabilities. Look for cracked building materials and gaps in seals before performing repairs like re-caulking, applying mortar patches or repairing damaged siding. Even intentional openings, such as attic vents, can provide access to squirrels or raccoons, so install sturdy screens and scan for signs of infestation nearby.
3. Keep a Cleaner Home
Don’t wait until spring to tackle your household cleaning. Eliminate spaces where pests can hide, such as disorganized junk piles. If you really want to be thorough, pull furniture away from walls so that you can vacuum behind it.
Cleaning your kitchen is vitally important around this time of year. Pests are attracted to smells from far away, so placing open containers of food in sealed vessels, vacuuming the floor and sweeping around and behind appliances are all smart moves.
Although many homeowners wait until they’re facing pest infestations to fight back, you don’t have to let things get that far. Be proactive about making your residence less enticing, and you can focus on enjoying your cozy home all winter long. To get started, view our sales flyer.
