The Most Common Ways Pests Get Into Your Home
You try to be as diligent as possible by doing things like regularly vacuuming and making sure there are no crumbs lying around, but chances are, you’re sharing your home with some unwanted pests. They can range from ants to termites to mice or rats. It’s not like you opened the door and invited them in. No. They found other ways in. Here are a few of them to help you put together a pest control maintenance plan:
Through Your Door
Yes, we just said that it’s not like you just opened your front door and let in the pests. If you don’t have your door properly set up, they can just walk in without any help on your end. For example — look at your door. Is there a space between the floor and the door? If so, there might as well be a tiny ‘Welcome’ mat for ants and other tiny pests to make their way inside.
Your pest control maintenance plan should include having a custom door made. It should leave very little to no space between the floor and the door. That will be one way to keep those pests from making an unwanted visit. Also, you’ll be able to make it look unique and appealing. No pests and better curb appeal for your home? That’s a win-win for you.
Through The Side
This is a favorite access point for a lot of pests. Ants, bees, and beetles can burrow in the side of your home. The same goes for termites, and they can cause a lot of unseen damage if they’re allowed to stay for long periods of time. Your pest control maintenance plan needs to factor this in, otherwise you could be paying for home repairs as well as an exterminator.
The best way to do that is to talk to a siding contractor. They can tell you about the best materials that will deter pests from trying to burrow their way in. Also, the contractor can seal off all the gaps in the siding, which is another favorite entry point. Those pests are going to need to find another entry point. This time, you’re going to need to look up.
On the Roof
Yes, pests love finding entry points on roofs. Whether it’s through a convenient hole that a missing shingle leaves them — though that also creates an issue of mold or water damage — or in a gap. You need to include talking to a roofing contractor in your pest control maintenance plan. Otherwise, you could find yourself with a lot more than you bargained for.
You can have local roofers take a look at your roof and see if there are any places where pests could make their way inside, and seal up those spots. You want to have a structurally sound roof anyway, and this is a great way to ensure that. It’s going to be money well spent. Otherwise, you risk everything from mice to insects to even bats making their home in your attic.
There’s another place that you should have the roofers inspect — the chimney. Though some might think only a certain jolly heavyset person from the North Pole can gain entry there, your chimney can be a very inviting place for certain pests to gain both access and egress from your place. Ask the roofer how they can pest-proof your chimney.
Through The Windows
Burglars aren’t the only ones that love to enter a home through a window. It can be bugs flying in through a cracked window on a hot summer day to those making their way in via gaps in sealant. You also need to make sure that paying attention to your windows plays a big part in your pest control maintenance plan.
You want to make sure that you can open and close your windows easily and securely. Look at window manufacturers and see what people are saying in terms of how well they can be sealed. Look into screens, too, since they can also do an excellent job of keeping pests out.
From the Trees
Trees are an important part of the ecosystem. They help provide clean air for all of us to breathe, after all. They can also help your yard go from being ordinary to extraordinary. But they can also pose a hazard, like possibly falling on your home if they are too close. Their branches can damage your roof or other parts of your home. Oh, and they can also provide an excellent launching spot for some pests to make their way into your home.
This is why using a tree removal company should also be part of your pest control maintenance plan. They will be able to safely remove the tree from your property without risking damaging your home or other items. By having trees further away from your place, you’ll make it much more difficult for any pest to get into your house or apartment.
Through the Basement
Your basement can be many things — a workshop, an office, a rec room, a home theater. It can also be very inviting for pests, especially if there are any cracks in the walls or windows. You don’t want to have any mice running around your home theater while you’re watching a movie, do you? That can make even a comedy be a creepy experience.
That’s why your pest control maintenance plan should include paying attention to the basement finishing. Make sure they have sealed off any avenues of interest. Regularly have it inspected, since you don’t want things like water damage to give them access to your place. Then you’ll be able to relax and enjoy yourself without having the worry that something else is there with you in the back of your mind.
Through HVAC Vents
Your HVAC can be a lifesaver on those brutally hot or cold days. The air will flow through and make your home comfortable. That air flows through vents, which can also make a wonderful access point for a lot of pests. That thought can make your blood run colder than any air conditioner possibly could. You need to stay on top of things when it comes to that.
Your pest control maintenance plan should also include HVAC preventative maintenance services. You want your unit to run as smoothly as possible, after all. A professional can check how things look and determine if your unit has been affected by pests. They can then clean things out and get things running smoothly again or replace it if it turns out any necessary wiring has been affected, too.
Via Nearby Construction Work
Have your neighbors hired general contractors to do work on their homes or other properties? While those contractors may do a great job of improving the place, they may drive pests to flee those premises and find a new place — yours. If construction is being done, you need to keep an extra close eye on all of those aforementioned openings. It’s a good idea to go over that pest control maintenance plan again.
Construction is a necessary part of life, though. People are going to have their places remodeled. New buildings will be erected. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore the potential for pests to make their way in.
Through Your Walls
You know those sounds that you hear throughout your home? Yes, some of them are due to things creaking and shifting around. A family member or upstairs tenant might be walking around on the floor above you. But those that you hear from the wall? That’s usually a sign that you have unwanted guests living there.
It’s more than just an annoyance, though. It can be very dangerous, since there are wires running through your place. If they get exposed, they can cause things like electrical fires. So, you want to make sure that you include electricians from home maintenance companies when it comes to your pest control maintenance plan.
Other Considerations
Do you have a porch with a crawl space? Pests really favor those spots. Why? Because people tend to ignore those areas, which then allows them to enter and breed without any interference. Make it a habit to regularly check those crawl spaces and get rid of anything that has taken up residence. By doing that, you can keep them from getting too entrenched and let them find another spot.
Check your plumbing, heating, and the access points for your washer and dryer. Did you have cable installed? Have those areas all caulked and sealed off. There are pests out there that can take advantage of even the smallest of spaces and squeeze their way in. Don’t give them the opportunity to do that.
Pay attention to how clean your place is. Pests love dirt and chaos, since the more of it there is, the easier it is for them to hide. This is one of the best things for your pest control maintenance plan. You should be sure to keep as clean as possible. Vacuum at least once a week, if not more. Put any food in sealed containers so that mice or rats won’t be able to detect it and try to eat it. This includes things like bags of rice or other items. Check areas that are often shrouded by shadows to make sure that nothing is lurking there.
Make sure that your children know the best ways to keep clean. Of course, you’ll have to monitor and double-check when it comes to young ones, since their idea of ‘spotless’ is usually a lot different from yours. As they get older and grow into teenagers and beyond, then they can contribute to keeping the place pest-free.
By the same token, if pest control/removal work needs to be done, then you need to talk with the pest control expert to discuss the best ways to keep your kids and pets safe while this is being done. You want to make sure that the cure isn’t going to be worse than the disease, so to speak. Fortunately, technology has made it much safer, and a lot of the methods that are now used aren’t harmful to people or pets, just pests.
It’s a good idea to have your place regularly inspected for pests at least once a year, possibly even more depending on your location. You might want to have it done in the spring, when the cold air has gone away and you can have them see who might have tried to escape the winter. A pest control specialist can take a look around your place and see if anything new has cropped up. They might notice a termite hole, for example. Then they can take the necessary steps to rid your place of them.
There are a lot of pests out there. You don’t have to make your home a place for any of them though. By knowing these common entry points, you can be better equipped to ensure that they stay where they belong — not in your home. The main idea behind a pest control maintenance plan is to get control of the situation and help you live a life that’s free of these potential health hazards.
Final Thoughts
By doing the above, you’re going to be giving yourself the best chance of being able to keep mice, roaches, rats, and other pests at bay. If you do suspect that any of these things are in your home, you should contact professionals immediately. Otherwise, you’re risking health complications. <.p>
The best thing you can do is be diligent. Some of these things may cost you some money, but you can’t put a price on your health. Otherwise, you could find yourself paying a lot more for hospital bills or treatment. Don’t ignore these tiny creatures — they can cause problems that are way larger than their diminutive size. Being proactive will be worth it.
