Creating A Positive Environment

Fall is when everyone begins preparing for winter, include insect and animal pests. These pests often prepare by gaining access to your warm, dry home. The following can help you prevent this seasonal concern.

Screen Exterior Vents

A home has several vents around the exterior. There are soffit vents on the underside of your eaves as well as gable end or attic vents on the exterior walls and roof. If your home has a crawl space beneath it, there will also be vents along the crawlspace enclosure. Check all of these vents to make sure they are properly screened to keep out birds, rodents, and insects. Otherwise, you may have pests moving into your warm home for the winter.

Clear Out Yard Debris

Debris in your yard can provide nesting sites for insects and small mammals. If that debris is up against the walls of your home, then those pests may then make the move indoors as winter approaches. Cut back dead plants and rake up yard debris as it appears in fall. Don't allow brush piles to remain near your home's foundation.

Repair Damaged Weather Stripping

The weatherstripping around your doors and windows does more than prevent heat loss in the winter months. It also creates a tight seal that insects, spiders, and even mice can't easily squeeze through. Check all of your windows and doors for tight seals. If you see gaps or if the weather stripping is cracked or otherwise damaged, make sure to replace it before temperatures begin to drop.

Check Your Window Screens

Many people begin leaving their windows open in fall once temperatures are cool enough to shut down the AC but still too warm to close up the house. Holes in your window screens, or screens that don't fit well, don't serve the purpose of keeping bugs out. Patch damaged screens or have them replaced before you leave the window open.

Seal Up Damaged Mortar

Home with brick or stone exteriors may seem pest-proof, but insects and rodents can often squeeze their way in through crumbling mortar and gaps where the mortar has failed completely. Fortunately, you can have the mortar repaired or replaced without the need for a new exterior.

Inspect Things As You Bring Them In

As you start bringing things into your home in late fall and early winter, inspect them for any hitchhikers. Insects can make their way in on potted plants as you bring them in, for example. Rodents may be hiding in the box of holiday decorations fetched in from the garage. Inspect everything thoroughly for any signs of pests and you won't have an issue.

Contact a pest control service for more help. They can perform perimeter treatments to help create a barrier that will prevent insects from finding their way inside this fall.