As a homeowner, it’s a constant battle to keep your house free from pests of all kinds. And while treatments are often necessary, certain everyday measures can greatly reduce your home’s bug problems. In this week’s blog, we’ll look into some simple strategies to stop pests from taking up residence in your home.
1. Keep Moisture Away from Your Home
Moisture is a generally bad thing when it comes to pests. Almost all types of bugs are attracted to dampness, including, but not limited to, ants, termites, spiders, and mosquitoes. Termites are the most destructive of these bugs, potentially causing that’s of dollars in structural damage if they take up residence in your home. They will be most attracted to places where wood is moist in your house. Similarly, ants will be attracted to moisture near your home and try to invade it. Mosquitoes require pools of standing water to breed. Untreated, stagnant puddles should be eliminated from anywhere that they appear on your property.
2. Store Food Securely
Ants and rodents are the primary risks from insecurely stored food. Ants are easier to keep out of food stores than rodents. Generally, sealing bags and boxes and keeping counters and floors clean will be sufficient to keep ants from building colonies in your home. However, even small crumbs are attractive food sources for ants, so it’s important not to overlook even little spills. This is especially true when the spilled substance is sugary. Sugar is the most attractive food source for ants. Rodents are also attracted to food sources, but if mice or rats invade your home, simply sealing containers won’t be enough. Their sharp teeth easily chew through cardboard and thin plastic. Consider storing food in thick, tightly sealed containers.
3. Trim Plants Away from Your House
The area around your house should be a defensive perimeter. All types of plants, including grass, weeds, shrubs, and trees, are potential habitats for spiders, insects, and rodents. It is best practice to keep grass and plants surrounding your home neatly trimmed. At no time should they directly touch your house. The same is true for trees. Be sure to look up and check for any branches touching your home.
4. Get Rid of Rotting Wood
Rotting wood is primarily a termite risk. Related to moisture control issues, termites love nothing more than damp, rotting wood. Subterranean termites, the dominant species in the four states, require humidity and wood for a food source. Rotting wood should not touch your home. The risk is even greater if the rotting wood touches soil where subterranean termites live. Pay special attention to landscaping timbers and wooden gardening boxes.
For regular termite and insect treatments, as well as infestation interventions, contact Bug-A-Way Pest Control.