Check out today’s guest post from our friend way up North in Alaska: Archie Adams!
Bio: Archie was a builder for more than 40 years. Mainly after his retirement the enthusiastic electrical works in garden and writes for a blog Homemakerguide.com to keep himself occupied. His many years of experience can get you the right tool reviews whether it is a drill, welding machine or so. An impressive fact to note about him is that almost everything in his house is a representation of his skills made by his hands.
How to Pest Proof Your House Wisely
Pests are hyper annoying, but the worst thing is that they create unsanitary conditions. Even a common house fly or cockroach can contribute to asthma attacks or allergies. Here, we’ll share tips on how to get rid of pests and keep them out for good.
If you are a homeowner, then you might have already fought with rodents, home spiders, and other various bugs within the house many times. You know how difficult it is to keep the house pest-free.
The problem is that most pests are looking for a hiding place in buildings in response to shifts in weather conditions, such as rains, droughts, cooler temperatures, etc.
Hence, one of the best ways to limit unwanted invasions is to block pests entry before they end up inside. Such a procedure is known as pest proofing, and it can significantly reduce the chances of them ever bothering you.
There are lots of different steps you can take in between regular professional treatments. We’ve teamed up with pest-control experts and created this post to provide you with well-tried tips on how to pest-proof your house. Read on!
Use The Best Pest Repeller
If you’ve noticed that the house is full of flies and other pests, you should get rid of them and take other steps to prevent them from appearing in the future.
Experts and lots of happy consumers recommend ultrasonic pest repellent. It would be wise to read ultrasonic pest repeller reviews so that you can find the best solution that will meet all your needs.
An ultrasonic pest repeller is a device that emits sound waves of a particular frequency that deter bugs and other small pests. As a result, insects and rodents leave the area where this device works.
The best repellers promise quick & effective results and broad coverage. Before buying, check whether the device meets the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. If so, you can rest assured knowing that it’s safe for the environment, humans, and pets.
Store Garbage Properly
This step seems like a no-brainer; however, proper garbage storage and handling are crucial to prevent pests from feasting on your trash.
Keep food trash in the house kitchen and never use home decor (e.g., decorative bins) as wastebaskets. Always place trash in a can with a lid and empty it every night.
Exterior receptacles and recycling bins must have self-closing lids with tight seals to keep pests out. All dumpsters should be cleaned and sanitized regularly; you can do it yourself or find a bin cleaning service.
Get Rid Of Mess
Comparing a house versus an apartment, the former has greater chances of pest invasion. Why? Because usually there is more clutter in the house and garden than in the apartment. So, even with the best pest-proofing practices in place, insects and rodents will manage to find their way into your home if they can find their favorite amenities there.
Therefore, if you don’t want them to feel like a welcome guest, make sure your home is clutter-free.
If the house is always dusty, insects and rodents will love it, plus they like places where they can hide and breed. They’ll appreciate forgotten boxes, stacks of paper, old furniture pieces, or whatever stuff you accumulate in your home or garden. As soon as they find the ideal, cluttered place, they’ll begin to create their nests inside the nooks and crannies it provides. After that, pests will be able to steer clear of you and will increase in number, unseen and undisturbed. By the time you identify the problem, you’ll have to cope with a significant pest invasion.
So, as you can see, house cleaning is one of the keys to pest proofing.
What else pests need to live and breed happily in your home? Yes, they need food! Hence, leftovers, crumbs, food scraps, and pet food that fall into hidden areas, cardboard pieces, dirty containers, or rotting wood will be perfect food sources for different pests. You should store meals in well-sealed containers in the fridge. Eat-in, a single area of the home, wipe up bits or spills quickly, and wash dishes right after the use.
Don’t leave pet food after mealtimes, or invest in insect-proof containers that will give your pets access to fodder while keeping bugs out.
Tidy Up The Yard
The condition of the yard greatly impacts insect infestation. Ensure to keep it free of debris, leaves, or clutter since they are perfect places for hiding and reproducing. Also, keep tree branches and limbs from touching the house or roof; thanks to this, it’ll be more difficult for pests to have access to your home.
A house with a pool, fountain, or birdbath requires special attention since standing, or pooled water is a good breeding ground for mosquitoes. Below there are things you can do to keep bugs out:
● Pool – it must be chlorinated and filtered, even when not in use.
● Birdbath and fountain – change the water there twice a week to keep insects’ eggs from hatching.
● Puddles of water – if you have areas in your yard where water stands still for a long time, you should help it drain: aerate the soil or fix the grading so that water can run off properly.
● Clogged drains or spouts – if leaves and other debris accumulate in spouts, it creates a great nursery for insects, so clean them thoroughly.
Repair Small Damages
Insects are small and can easily penetrate your house through tiny cracks that are almost invisible to the homeowner. Look at the exterior of your home very carefully as if you see it at first. Spot cracks in foundations, loose or crumbling brick, damaged or missing sections of siding, and rotted wood. Furthermore, at a time when your house was built, installers most likely ran the lines (a cable line, Internet wiring, water, gas, or electrical piping) into your home through holes drilled in the exterior walls. These holes provide an open invitation for bugs.
So, inspect around your home, make notes if you find any cracks or holes, and plan a house renovation to fix each opening.
Shield The House’s Large Openings
Some of the biggest holes are part of the house design and are meant to be there since they serve a particular purpose, e.g., chimney, roof and basement vents, etc. We have to cover these holes because not only insects can come through them but also other pests like a house mouse, bat, squirrel, and even raccoon.
Use hardwire cloth or fine wire mesh to staple it over holes; for the chimney, buy a specifically pre-fabricated chimney cap.
Seal Doors
Examine the front door and make sure it is sealed well. Otherwise, the door will allow not only air to pass through, but also pests will use openings to enter your house.
You can also use the next stuff to advance your door and provide better protection from insects and rodents.
● Threshold guard – use a sturdy aluminum or steel threshold set under the door to keep insects from crawling inside.
● Door sweep – you can buy this inexpensive tool at most hardware stores. It covers the gap between a door bottom and threshold. It’s better to choose nylon brush sweeps over neoprene or vinyl ones as they provide the best protection against pests.
● Weather stripping – check the condition of the weather stripping around the door every year. If it’s damaged or deformed, you should remove the old seal and replace it with a new one.
● Auto-closing door – does someone in your family coming in and out all the time and leave the door open? Then none of the mentioned above techniques will work! Consider investing in an automatic door closer; this hydraulic tool will close and latch the door after it’s been opened.
Engage Birds
Birds are nice to look at, and they love eating insects. So, if you want to attract birds to your garden, it would be a good idea to get a bird feeder. It’s not expensive to buy. Or you can make it yourself! Arrange weekend family projects. You’ll kill two birds with one stone – entertain your kids and create a useful thing for birds and your garden.
Bottom Line
Your house is an entire ecosystem consisting of independent parts; each part impacts the operation of other parts. Therefore, you should take care of every area, every part of the house! When all the parts work together in an optimal, desirable way, you’ll be rewarded with a house that is comfortable, durable, healthy, and free of pests.
We hope that our house ideas will help you to pest-proof your home.
If you have any well-tried tips on how to get rid of insects and rodents, share them with us in the comment section!
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