How to Pest Proof Home for Fall and Winter

With the arrival of cold weather each year during fall and winter, it’s essential to consider updates to your home to avoid a pest problem. The temperature drop during these seasons leads various pests to seek more hospitable environments indoors, where they can cause issues to your property and belongings. To avoid leaving your property vulnerable to pests seeking shelter, there are a few modifications you can make to your indoor and outdoor spaces. In this article, we’ll discuss what pest-proofing a home involves and how to pest-proof your home for fall and winter with some tips for these cold seasons. 

 

Pest Proofing Your Home

Preventing and deterring outside insects and other animals from coming inside your property can be a difficult task when chillier weather starts to set in each year. However, effectively pest-proofing your home not only keeps these animals from entering your home, but it can also prevent pests from moving around inside your property or remaining for an extended period of time. On top of restricting indoor animal movement from occurring, proper exclusion can reduce the access these pests have to indoor food storage locations. If pests can meaningfully infiltrate food storage and preparation locations, other issues can develop and worsen with time.

By pest-proofing your home for the next chilly season, you can provide your property with long-term animal control and reduce the need for more extreme measures to prevent possible infestations. The smaller a given pest is, the greater level of pest exclusion or sealing your property may require. These animals have a great ability to fit through and into many crevices and small cracks to infiltrate and contaminate your rooms. Some of the most common pests to pose a threat in Chicagoland and other areas include cockroaches, bed bugs, rodents, termites, and spiders. With a few specific steps, you can begin to pest-proof your house.

 

How to Pest Proof Your House

Figuring out how to pest-proof your house can be complicated and come with questions about where to focus time and efforts. However, it’s vital to pest-proof your home for fall and winter to avoid property damage, food contamination, and health issues. Pest-proofing a property does more than a surface treatment. A regular pest treatment or a single application doesn’t prevent new infestations from occurring. Pest-proofing your indoor areas can involve screening various openings, installing door thresholds or sweeps, inspecting door seals, filling any cracks, and making outside doors self-closing. It can also involve sealing utility openings, repairing leaky piping, installing wire mesh, using airtight containers, and employing sanitation procedures.

One of the biggest focuses to pest-proof a property is sealing any possible animal entrances and securing owner and guest entrances from animal entry. Screening openings, installing door sweeps or thresholds, and adding wire mesh to entrances stop many pests from entering through regular doors and windows. Once a specialist secures these entry points, it’s important to have them follow through by inspecting current door and window seals and sealing or filling any cracks or holes. After entryways, utility openings, and plumbing are newly secure, you can prevent contamination and health issues with airtight containers and consistent sanitation acts.

 

Fall Pest Control Tips

The colder months of the year can attract many kinds of pests into your home. However, you can prepare specifically for individual seasons and achieve early prevention success this year with some tips for fall pest control. Autumn is a season for five major animal infestations. These animals are stink bugs, ladybugs, cluster flies, rodents, and boxelder bugs. To prevent the infiltration of these pests early, you can seal crevices and cracks, keep counters clean, close up garbage, keep moisture-prone areas dry and vented, and screen open vents. Also, consider inspecting incoming packages, maintaining outdoor areas, and watching for signs of infestation.

When fall is soon to arrive, it’s important to prevent moisture, garbage, food, and yard waste from attracting any pests. In addition to sealing openings throughout your home, be sure to maintain your rooms with regular upkeep. Some animals can thrive in moist environments, so it’s important to keep your attics, basements, and crawl spaces dry and vented such as with a dehumidifier. Garbage and food left sitting around can also attract pests. Keep food properly stored and sealed, avoid leaving food out for extended periods, and keep your garbage sealed and regularly disposed of. To prevent yard waste from attracting these unwanted guests, store firewood, refuse, and other yard waste at a distance and maintain outdoor draining systems.

 

Winter Pest Control Tips

Once you’ve begun early pest prevention with some fall pest control tips, you can follow through with some winter pest prevention. Winter pest control is all about securing your property’s internal areas as extended cold weather sets in for the next few months. Pest control in the winter is just as vital as in the summer, despite common misconceptions. As humans prepare for brisk conditions, animals seek to weather the winter months in warm locations. To winterize your home against pests, vacuum around windows and doors, eliminate any other moisture sites, inspect for rodents, and check in with your local pest specialist.

In addition to other pest control behaviors, you want to continue maintaining debris in indoor and outdoor spaces, eliminate other areas of moisture, and regularly check for signs of rodents. As debris and moisture are strong attractants, it’s important to continue checking for, maintaining, and removing trash and moisture. Frequently vacuum to catch small invaders. Regularly check the drain and pipe areas of your bathroom and kitchen for moisture. Once you’ve begun maintaining trash and moisture, it’s important to follow up with a pest control specialist for a professional inspection and treatment to keep your home pest free. 

 

Pest Proof for Fall and Winter With Skeeter Beater

With regular maintenance and monitoring, you can effectively prevent infestations. To enjoy continuous protection by pest-proofing your home for fall and winter, contact Skeeter Beater today.