Winterizing Your Home Against Pests

The temperatures are tumbling and daylight is quickly diminishing. That means one thing. Winter has begun in earnest. Before you settle in for the next few months, you may want to do a few final checks to confirm that your home is winterized against potential pests. The actions you take now can save you time, energy, and money from a pest infestation over the winter.While there are pests present all year round, winter is an important time to thoroughly inspect your home, this is the time of year when critters are desperate for shelter, food, and water. Depending on the species, pests will find a way into your home to nest or overwinter. Here are a few tips to get your home ready for winter.

Eliminate Food Sources

Look around the outside of your home and see if there are food sources that could be appealing to pests. Do you leave the dog food out on the patio, or perhaps your barrels are not properly secured? The smell of any sort of food can cause pests to be attracted to your home. Be sure to put away dog food every night and tightly secure trash barrels. Also consider thoroughly cleaning out the garden from the summer that may have leftover plantings that can be a draw for some pests.

Clean the Gutters

Gutters are an often forgotten fall chore. If left filled with rainwater, leaves, and/or debris, gutters can become a perfect hiding and nesting spot. The job of cleaning out your gutters may be a dirty job and time consuming, but it will help protect your home not only from pests looking for a cozy spot to spend the winter, but it will help your home to avoid ice dams and water that could could cause damage throughout the winter.

Eliminate Access to Your home

To prevent pests from entering your home, it is important to eliminate all points of entry that could be used as pests search for a safe place to spend the winter. Shut the flue in your chimney, seal up windows, use a door sweep to eliminate space under your door, and cover utility openings. Take a walk around your property and look for foundation cracks or openings that could be a welcome sign for pests. Fewer access points means that it is less likely a rat, mouse, insect, or wildlife could gain entrance to your home.

Trim Back Plantings

As you inspect the exterior of your home, check for bushes and/or plantings that are too close to your structure. Pests can use the branches as pathways to your home. Trim everything back to ensure that there is adequate space between your home and branches.Winterizing your home can take a little time but will save you from having to rid your home of unwanted guests later in the winter. Need help? Contact our specialists by calling 800.287.4321 or via our website contact page.