7 Ways Pests Can Get Inside Your Home
While it may seem like pests and insects aren’t very smart, they are pretty clever at finding different ways into your home. From cockroaches to fleas there are no shortages of pests looking for food or shelter. Many places around the house can mean easy access for these unwanted house guests and each will require a different treatment to fix them up. To stop these pests in their tracks, the pest control professionals at Champion Termite and Pest Control, Inc. outline the eight most common entry points for them.
If any pests do manage to get into your home, our pest exterminator can help! Our pest control team can help with any pest problems and infestations with effective and efficient pest control services. Contact our pest control company today to schedule a home inspection or to learn more about how we can assist you.
Overgrown Or Poorly Maintained Yards
A poorly maintained yard can become a breeding ground for pests. This will make it much easier for them to be a nuisance inside and outside the house, especially if there is any standing water on the property. Standing water is the perfect breeding environment for mosquitos, especially in Florida. To keep any pests in your yard out of your house, we recommend keeping your grass trimmed regularly, raking and removing leaves often, leveling any low areas that can collect water, and changing any water in birdbaths and fountains every two weeks. If pests get inside, contact us right away.
Improperly Sealed Doors
Pests don’t need an invitation to come in through the front door. Bugs can use even the tiniest crack in a door frame as an entryway into the home. To stop unwanted pests from entering your home, consider installing an aluminum or steel threshold that can close any gaps between the door and the door frame to lessen the amount of space they have to enter the house. We recommend purchasing a nylon sweep rather than vinyl or neoprene for some added protection, as well as re-caulking or re-sealing any issues in the door frame.
Cluttered Spaces
Even with the best prevention possible, pests are still able to find ways into someone’s home. To prevent one bug from becoming an infestation, the best course of action is to get rid of their food sources as well as their hiding spots. A pests favorite place to hide is in someone else’s clutter, specifically newspaper and cardboard boxes. To protect a home from roaches and other pests we recommend trying to keep clutter to a minimum.
Cracks & Passages In The Perimeter
Cracks in the foundation, walls, or perimeter of your home are one of the main ways pests can enter the home. Cable and heating wires run through the outside walls as well as the inside. We recommend sealing the areas around these wires on both the inside and outside of your home. Be sure to inspect any vent dampers to make sure they aren’t stuck open or are broken. If there are any cracks or gaps in the home’s foundation, make sure to reseal them while paying attention to where the side walls meet the foundation, which is a pest’s favorite place to hide.
Open Food & Water
To keep bugs from making a meal out of your food, try to keep all food and ingredients stored in airtight containers or the refrigerator whenever possible. Any dirty dishes that have been sitting for a while, especially in dirty, standing water, can attract all sorts of pests. Put away any food overnight or use containers that are designed to keep pests out. Make sure to throw any food away in the kitchen trash can instead of wastebaskets. Make sure to take out the trash often and clean the trash can regularly.
Utility Lines & Vents
If you notice any holes in any walls like something out of Tom & Jerry, this is likely an entry point for both mice and insects. Seal off any points of entry while checking for any places where pipes or cables go into the wall. For any holes with cords going through them, pad most of the hole with steel wool and keep it in place by applying caulk around the edges.
