When winter comes, pests normally look for places that provide warmth to stave off the cold weather. Even as some may migrate to the southern states to escape the cold, others seek shelter in the attics of homes.
And when this happens, homeowners have to deal with an infestation once warmer weather comes. Due to this, they should prevent these pests from making their homes a place to stay during winter. Here are some ways you can keep pests out when cold weather comes.
Install Window Screens
An open window allows pests to enter homes when they are looking for shelter before winter comes. To stop them from entering the home, you can install window screens with a fine mesh that can keep even small insects out. If the windows already have screens, you should ensure they have no holes to stop insects from coming in.
If necessary, you should contact a mosquito and tick control professional to take care of pests that have entered your home before you installed the screens. These professionals have the equipment and experience to deal with these pests, so they will not disturb you when the cold season comes.
Seal the Openings
Aside from the windows, you should also close other entry points into the house before the cold season. Since the insects cannot enter through the windows after installing a window screen, they will look for other ways to get in. Some of these places are the gaps on the door frame. You can seal these gaps using weatherstripping, which can also keep the cold out once winter comes.
You should also look for cracks around the house and seal them. Replacing broken bricks and rotting wood is also a good idea to stop pests from entering the home. You can patch up the cracks on the walls and foundation of the house. Checking the home’s sidings for gaps and holes is another good idea since insects and other pests can enter the home through these gaps.
Check the Yard
Checking the front and back yard is also a good way to stop pests from invading your home. You should set up a barrier between landscaping materials, such as wood chips and much, and your home since pests might have set up a nest in these places. You should also remove leaf piles in the yard and clean the gutters.
If you use firewood for winter, it’s best to keep your firewood pile at a safe distance from the house since it can serve as a home for some insects. You should also check the wood before you bring it inside the house to use. Make sure to check any firewood you buy before you bring them home.
Always keep the trash inside a sealed trash bin when you bring it outside. You should also empty the bin regularly to prevent bugs from building a nest in them. Make sure you know when the garbage collector comes so you can put the trash bin along the curb for them to collect the trash.
Inspect the Trees
If you have trees on your property, you should make sure to check them. Insects can thrive in trees, so you should make sure their limbs do not touch the windows or walls of the house. You can trim them if necessary to stop these pests from entering the home during winter.
Fruit trees can also host a lot of insects that invade the home when winter comes. So you should make sure to check the trees and clean any fruits you want to bring into the house before the cold season. You should also be aware that fruits, such as plums and apples, can attract spiders and other bugs. And these pests can enter your home before the first snowflake touches the ground.
Keep the Kitchen Clean
Keeping the kitchen clean is a good way to attracting insects into the house. Since pests look for reliable food sources, you should make sure to clean all spills and crumbs on the counter and remove any traces of food in the kitchen.
You should also make sure that the floors are clean. Sanitizing the kitchen can keep germs and bacteria away from where you prepare food for the family. Keeping the kitchen clean prevents pests from entering the home and keeps everyone healthy by stopping the spread of bacteria in the home.
Keeping pests out of the home is important, especially before winter when homeowners do not have many options when it comes to eliminating them when the cold season comes.
