Four Tips For Keeping Pests Outside All Year Long

Pest control is a never-ending process, but along with insecticide treatments and traps, you can keep pests outdoors by reducing the number of ways they can get inside. Keeping up with home maintenance, installing coverings over vents and pipes, and keeping windows, doors, and ducts tightly sealed will help keep pests outside no matter the season.

Trim Your Trees

Trees near your home can provide an additional path for pests to get into your house. If your trees' branches and leaves are touching your house, pests can use this as a bridge to get onto your roof, into your attic, or anywhere that might not normally be acceptable. This can also let creatures bypass any preventative perimeters or treatments you may be using to keep them out.

Make sure your trees are trimmed regularly, keeping branches several feet from your house to prevent damage and to prevent pests from using them to get in. If your trees themselves are suffering from pest infestations, they might also need to be treated to get rid of the pest problem and keep them healthy.

Seal Your Ducts

Air ducts are a common method by which insects and rodents travel through homes. Ducts become more accessible to pests as they get older and airtight seals begin to fade and break.

To keep pests out of your air ducts, have them repaired as necessary. Depending on their age, insulation may also need to be replaced. Frequent pest problems could also indicate an infestation in your attic or somewhere nearby, so along with having your ducts repaired, call a pest control specialist to inspect your home. Rodents and wood-boring insects commonly attack or get into attics first, so if pests regularly use your ducts to travel, the attic is a good place to start with an inspection.

Cover Vents and Pipes

Between HVAC drains, plumbing vents, attic ventilation, and other pipes, there are multiple ways determined creatures can get into your home. An easy way to combat this is by installing protective coverings over potential entrances that are otherwise left unguarded.

An easy way to do this is by installing metal screens over uncapped pipes leading out of your home. Prioritize pipes and vents that are close to the ground or close to areas with lots of trees, plants, and dirt that might attract pests.

Replace Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping can be found around almost every door and window in your house. Fading weatherstripping can let in moisture and cold air, but also smaller pests like ants and some flying insects.

Depending on where your weatherstripping is installed, such as on doors that constantly face the sun or bear the brunt of inclement weather, it may need to be replaced every few years. Inspect your doors and windows annually to check for cracking and fading sealant and worn-out weatherstripping that could be letting creatures into your home.

To learn more, reach out to a pest control service.