Keeping your house pest-free
As the warm weather pests depart, the cold weather pests move in. While there aren’t as many winged creatures flying around, you may have larger critters making their way into your yard and house. Mice, spiders, cockroaches and other creepy crawlers seek shelter indoors where it’s nice and warm. They can hunker down for the fall and winter and make things miserable for you and your family. But there’s plenty of time to get your home pest-proofed for the big cool down and make sure that, aside from the humans inside, not a creature will be stirring…not even a mouse!
1. Weather Stripping and Sealing—If the powerful summer heat took a toll on your existing weather stripping, this is a great time to inspect and replace. You can pick up a roll at the home improvement or hardware store. Then, check your windows and doors for any gaps that may exist and simply remove the old stripping and replace it with the new. Make sure to check the garage door, and check existing caulking for cracks and replace as needed, too.
2. Screens—Make sure your window and vent screens all have a tight seal to keep critters from sneaking in. If you notice any sags or looseness, your can remove the rubber binding strip and stretch the screen back to its original tautness. If there is decay or any open holes that can’t be easily patched, you can pick up a roll of screening material at the home improvement or hardware store and cut the new screen to fit your existing frames.
3. Chimneys—Chimneys are a great inlet for bugs and rodents during the winter months. Inspect your chimneys, screens and flues to make sure they close as intended. If not, they may require a replacement or repair best left to a professional.
4. Kitchen Clean-Up—To prevent attracting pests in the places where they most love to be — namely, where the food is kept—make sure to clean up food messes and crumbs immediately. Keep your floors swept and vacuumed and ensure food containers are off the pantry floor and kept properly sealed. This will not only make your kitchen space less attractive to pests, it will also save you repurchasing food they may otherwise make a meal of. And be sure to keep pet dishes free of food when your pets are finished eating.
5. Firewood—Wood piles are favorite places for animals to nest during the cold winter months. To keep mice, rats and other rodents from making cozy homes near yours, store your firewood away from your house. A distance of 15 feet or more will give you a good perimeter to prevent these pests from snuggling up to your walls and finding their way inside.
Remember to check periodically through the season to make sure webs, nests and hills haven’t accumulated. You may need to do some follow-up work to make sure things stay safe and clean inside. But with a bit of vigilance and some thoughtful care, you can keep the pests outdoors where they belong, all season long.