Flying insects tend to disappear during the colder months, but at the same time, several other pests such as spiders and cockroaches can be found crawling around your home or office space.
Many other pests intrude into our homes during the winters for one main reason: they need warmth and protection from the cold weather. These pests aren’t just a nuisance to the property but a risk to your health as well.
For instance, rodent bites cause many diseases such as the Hantavirus spread through deer mice and Salmonella. In addition, spider bites can cause acute and severe side effects, and roaches can cause asthma.
Therefore, if you want to keep your home safe during winter, it’s important to take precautionary measures. In this blog, we will outline some of the best and most effective DIY techniques to curb these pests from encroaching on your home.
But before we learn and explore these issues, it’s important to know that there’s help at hand. You can always hire a professional rodent control service like ActionPest that has the necessary experience and equipment to drive rodents away from your home.
Common Winter Season Pests
Some summer pests go dormant or hibernate during the winter, however, many of them make inroads to your house to escape the icy weather conditions. Here are a few common pests you see inside your home in the winter:
Rodents
They’re by far the most prevalent household pests in the winters. Squirrels, rats, and mice can get in looking for food, water and a warmer place.
Roaches
Though many cockroaches die in cold weather, the German and Oriental roaches remain alive and in search of damp, dark corners in the house.
Bed Bugs
These are active throughout the year but seem to flourish because people travel the most during winters, leaving their warm cozy beds for the bugs.
Winter Pest And Rodent Control Tips
Pest and rodent control works effectively in winters only when done by a professional.
Since pest management is a year-round job, it requires a continuous proactive and collaborative effort to achieve a good outcome – keeping you safe throughout the winter and beyond.
Action Pest is an experienced and licensed rodent and pest control service that uses tried-and-trusted formulations and equipment to offer a long term solution for your rodent and pest infestation problems.
However, if you’d like to give DIY a try, here are a few tips you can use this winter season to curtail the pest issue in your home:
Seal The Doors
Bugs and other pests always figure out a way to enter your house, even from the smallest cracks. To avoid this, when you shut all doors, make sure they’re properly sealed and there’s no room left – no matter how tiny it may be. You can use weather-stripping and caulk to close any leftover gaps.
Get A Window Screen
If you want to keep pests out of your home, start using window screens in winters. They help keep bugs outside of the house. Get a 20-mesh screen with tiny holes so that it becomes nearly impossible for pests to get in.
Cut Tree Limbs
Bugs flourish in leaves and trees. So if you’ve got a nearby tree whose limbs touch the windows and walls of your house, you need to trim it.
Clean Your Backyard/Front Yard
Insects and pests create intricate nests near wood chips and mulch. Therefore, you should create a feasible barrier between them and the house. Remove the piles and piles of leaves from the yard and ensure the gutters work fine and drain easily.
Fix/Repair Cracks
Cracks are an open invitation for bugs to enter your house. If you want to keep them away, seal and patch up all the cracks and fissures in the house, including walls, foundation, rotted wood and broken bricks. Also, make sure there are no gaps in your house sidings.
Clean Your Fruit Tree
Fruit trees such as plums, apples and pears can turn into a hub of spiders and other bugs. If there’s a fruit tree on your property (whether in the backyard or front yard), make sure to clean it up, since the fruits can attract bugs in large numbers.
This benefits you in two ways: the fruits will remain unharmed and the pests won’t find an entrance into the house.
Check Your Packages
If you receive a package at your doorstep, especially in winters, you should always check it thoroughly for bugs or any other insects before taking it inside. This is because bugs can always find a way to enter the boxes during transportation.
Keep The Kitchen Clean
Bugs love food residue found in your kitchen. If you want to deter pests successfully from entering your house and kitchen, keep the food waste and bread crumbs minimal.
Clean kitchen counters, wipe spills, pick the crumbs, and clean up all the leftover food so that no trace of it is left to attract insects. Don’t forget, keeping your kitchen clean is one of the best pest and rodent control methods.
Empty Your Trash Daily
If there is anything bugs love most besides food, that’s the trash! Trash and other waste is their treasure, so always keep your trash can closed and empty it daily.
Keep The Firewood Stack Away
In winters, burning firewood is a calming activity that’s perfect for outdoor patios. However, you need to make sure the firewood stays away from your house as it’s home to many insects. And if you plan to take wood inside for burning, don’t forget to check for bugs.
These quick DIY tips and techniques will help you keep pests away from home. However, if you’ve got an increased pest infestation and need help, contact us today! Visit our website to know more about pests and rodent control tips.
