Is Your Home Inviting Pests?

Is your home warm and inviting? While that may be ideal for welcoming friends, family, and guests, these characteristics are far from optimal when it comes to spring pests.If your home is inviting or encouraging pests to find the three things they want the most - refuge, food and hydration, then you may have a problem. Let's take a closer look at some of the ways your home may have the welcome sign out for pests of all varieties.Pests come in all sizes and shapes. Ants, mice, rats, termites, cockroaches, wildlife, beetles, and flies are just the shortlist of pests that could be making their way into your living spaces and causing damage or becoming a nuisance. For most pests, the motivation to enter a home is the potential food, water, and shelter that can be found. For others like squirrels, birds, and other wildlife, it may be dumb luck or too much curiosity that helped them find their way indoors.Whatever the reasoning behind the pest infiltrating your home, there are some simple steps that you can take to reduce the likelihood that your home will be seen as a haven.

Protect Large Openings

There are some areas of your home that are meant to remain open to the outdoors for the safety of the people living indoors. These openings, such as the one found in a chimney or dryer exhaust vents, should have mesh covering or a chimney cap to prevent larger animals from finding their way into the area. These spaces should also be inspected regularly to ensure that a nest has not been built that could cause a fire risk.

Seal Small Openings

Other openings in our homes such as cracks in the foundation, openings in the eaves or soffits, and gaps under doors or windows should be sealed. Use calk or foundation filler to seal up holes. Remember, a mouse needs only the size of a dime to squeeze into your home. Obviously, some openings will not be visible, so do what you can to help prevent pests and wildlife from seeking out your home.

Keep Things Clean

Eliminate clutter in your home, especially in areas that you do not frequent such as the attic, crawl spaces, or basement. These areas can become havens for nesting pests. Keep seasonal items in sealed containers so that papers and decorations are not used as nesting materials.Cleanliness is not just important in the low traffic areas, but in main living spaces as well. Clean up spills and food messes immediately. Food and water drops can be a big welcome sign to many pests looking for their next meal.Your trash barrels should also be well-maintained. Keep barrels covered and trash in bags inside. The fewer smells and trash items that can be accessed, the less likely your home will be chosen as a place to hang out.

Maintain Your Yard

Yards that are well maintained tend to have fewer places for pests to hide. This includes raking up piles of leaves, cleaning out clogged gutters, and eliminating standing water in your yard. All of these things can be attractive to pests.While cleaning your yard, it is also a good idea to trim trees and shrubs away from your home. These plantings can be a bridge into your home.Feel like your home is calling out to pests to visit? Check out our website or Facebook page for more information.