Pest Proofing Your Home This Fall

Mice, ants, cockroaches, rats, raccoons, bats, and squirrels, oh my! While these pests and nuisance wildlife are a headache during the warmer weather, as the temperatures start to drop, these unwanted visitors are even more of a pain! In the cooler months, they emerge in search of food, water, and shelter, which means your home is a potential hotspot! In addition to infesting your home, these nuisance pests also pose a health hazard to your family and pets, along with the risk of property damage. Keep critters at bay this fall with these helpful pest control tips.

Eliminate Outdoor Hiding Spots
To keep rodents away, place firewood at least 20 feet from your home and elevate it at least 18 inches from the ground. Wood chips also provide shelter for pests, so use rocks or stones instead. Rake leaves and keep grass and shrubbery near your home well-trimmed. Trim tree branches at least 8 to 10 feet from your home to remove that natural bridge to keep insects and rodents away.

Clean Up the Outside of Your Home
Make sure your trash and recycling bins are in working order, tightly sealed, and they are cleaned regularly. If you have a bird feeder, place it away from your home and make sure to clean up any spilled seeds on a regular basis. 

Reduce Moisture
Many pests such as ants, cockroaches, and termites are attracted to moisture. Draw water away from your home by installing new gutters or repairing existing ones. Properly and safely clean your gutters on a regular basis. Keep your basement, attic, garage, and crawl spaces dry and well ventilated. Commercial-grade dehumidifiers can help with that.

Seal Cracks and Holes
For those who don't know, mice can fit through an opening as wide as a pencil and rats an opening the size of a quarter. Seal all crevices and cracks in your home’s exterior using a waterproof adhesive and steel wool, paying special attention to gaps around utility and plumbing entry points as well as seal any gaps between the foundation and siding. Also, inspect your dryer exhaust vents and attic exhausts to make they aren't damaged.

Inspect Your Doors and Windows
Cracks under doors and torn screens make easy entry points for pests. Seal off hinged doors and line the bottom track under sliding glass doors with weather stripping or install door sweeps. You can also weatherstrip your windows or caulk window panes and gaps around the trim. Patch or replace damaged screens, including the ones in your basement.

Check Your Chimney
Birds, bats, squirrels, and raccoons can and WILL hibernate and nest in chimneys, often carrying terrible diseases and pests, such as bird mites, fleas, ticks, and lice. To make matters worse, their nests could cause smoke to back up and create a fire hazard. Have your chimney inspected for nests and cracks every year and seal off entry points by installing a chimney cap and fireplace door. After using the fireplace, shut the flue once the embers die down and keep it shut when not in use.

Inspect Items Before Bringing Them Inside
Before bringing items such as plants, groceries, decorations, package deliveries, and mail into your home, closely inspect them for hidden pests. Never bring wet or rotted firewood indoors and always inspect it for tunnels and other signs of infestation. When it comes to decorations, lay down a long white sheet in your garage or outside your home and shake the decorations over the white sheet. This makes it easier to find any tiny critters harboring in your decorations. Also, make sure to store all items in a sturdy, plastic container. Do NOT use cardboard!

Clean Up the Crumbs
Clean up after each meal and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Disinfect your kitchen counters and sink, and clean up spills and crumbs immediately. Store food in airtight containers and throw out any overripe fruit. Make sure the garbage and recycle cans in your home aren't damaged and clean them regularly.

Clean Up After Your Pets
Have any pets? Once they're done eating, clean their food bowls and place them high up on a counter. Don't leave them out overnight. Also, once your pet has done their business outside, clean it up immediately. Don't just leave it, otherwise, you're just asking flies and other insects to infest your home.