Keeping Insects at Bay in My Home

So how can you prevent having insect problems in and around your home? There are several things you can do to help prevent insects from becoming a problem in your house.

Start Outside

Carefully inspect the exterior of your home. What type of shrubs or plants do you have up against your home? Are they touching the home or are they neatly trimmed back away from the house. Are they plants that will attract aphids which will then attract ants and wasps, or any other type of pest that you would like to keep away from your home? Are there shrubs that provide great cover for spiders around your house and bring them in close proximity to your home? Evergreen shrubs like Pfizer’s are often a real hot spot for spiders and were very common in landscapes years ago. If you do have issues with the shrubs planted against your house, pull them out. By making a permanent change you can get rid of an ongoing problem for good.

Also look at what type of ground cover or mulch you have up against your house which can be a popular hangout for earwigs, millipedes, and a great breeding ground for many insects. Products like bark, that are found around many homes hold moisture well and can be a great breeding place for a variety of insect problems and hard to treat because of the very porous and absorbent service. Consider putting a river rock or another type of rock there instead to provide a better option for insect control.

The next thing to look at is the home itself. Are all of your exterior door sweeps tight? Can you see daylight coming under the door? Is all of your exterior caulking around trim, windows, siding, or other areas in good repair? Caulking can shrink over its lifespan and create gaps that need to be repaired. Do you have any holes around utility lines coming into the house like power, gas, exterior hose bibs, and air conditioning lines? Also inspect crawl space, cold storage room, and attic vent screens to make sure there aren’t any holes in these allowing insects to enter easily. Make sure if there are any large holes that allow insects the chance to get inside that they are sealed with an appropriate product. Also, inspect your window screens and make sure they are in great shape and won’t allow insects to enter if you open the windows to get some fresh outside air.

Inside the Home

Now it’s time to look inside your home. Where could insects thrive inside your home? Do you have dark un-kept corners that you haven’t looked at for a while and that haven’t been disturbed? These types of areas are popular hangouts for spiders as they don’t like to be disturbed. Do you have any cracks around your baseboards that could be sealed with an application of caulk? Can you see any daylight coming underneath your exterior doors which would allow insects to easily come under? Door weather-stripping will eventually wear out and needs to be replaced on occasion. Do your pipes coming out from under your sinks or other areas have the trim rings on them placed right against the wall to seal these openings as good as possible?

What about the food in your kitchen? Are all of your products like flour, cereals, pet food, pancake mix, and other grain products sealed in airtight containers? This will prevent you from having problems with Indian meal moth, weevil, or any other pest which may infest these types of products. Are there any spilled food items in the cupboards in your kitchen or on your floor that should be cleaned up? The cleaner your kitchen is the less likely you will have ants, cockroaches, or other types of pests become a problem. Taking your garbage out often is also a good idea. If you don’t have what they are looking for they will go elsewhere!

Get Professional Help

Regular professional pest control is a very good way to prevent pest problems before they become an issue. Professionals know what to look for and how to treat correctly to protect you and your home from unwanted pests. With proper exterior and interior treatments, most pests can be controlled and kept out of your home. They can also inspect your home for the items mentioned above and assist you in your quest for a pest-free home! If you are going to apply products to control pests around your home seek the assistance of a professional who has the skills and knowledge to make safe, targeted control treatments.