9 simple ways to protect your home from pests

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Pests aren’t simply a burden in someone’s home, they can harshly affect your health. That’s why the prevention is important for your home or for any other place where humans live. Besides the fact that they’re annoying and sometimes, even dangerous, they can create dirty conditions around your house. Some insects can carry diseases and they can be a major issue to humans and pets. Getting rid of pests may seem difficult but fortunately, you can learn how to improve your chances of staying bug-free.

Keep your doors locked

Insects need food, water, and shelter, just like any other human being. To protect yourself from bugs, you need to remove any source of food or hiding spots that might attract them.

The first thing you need to do is to check carefully your doors, you might be surprised to see how many unsealed small gaps are making an easy entrance for the bugs. To keep insects out of your house, make sure you keep your doors locked and mostly important, seal them properly, for better safety. Also, you can choose door-seal kits to fill the bottom and the sides of the door.

Remember, none of these tips will help if you leave your doors open. Consider installing a door closer – this way, you can make sure your door closes automatically after it’s been opened. You can find these affordable devices at local stores and also, you can install it at home by using simple tools.

Maintain a clean yard

When it comes to the maintenance of your yard, consider that mosquitoes and fleas are responsible for most of the damage. In order to get rid of mosquitoes and other insects, you need to look for areas where water accumulates in your yard. Solve this problem by allowing the water to be naturally absorbed by the soil. Poor drainage is also another cause of pooled water. You can try to maintain these channels free from grass, leaves, so they can work efficiently. While cleaning your yard, make sure you eliminate any piles of leaves – these areas are perfect hiding spots for any kind of insects. They can reproduce and spread an infestation that can be difficult to get rid of.

Repair small cracks

Rats can represent another problem in someone’s house. They can contaminate food, cause damage, and unfortunately, they carry diseases that can spread a large infestation. Being more active at night, rats aren’t seen often during the day-time. Although, it’s easy to find their hiding spots. Be aware of bigger gaps that rats can easily fit through. Seal the holes with cement, it’s affordable and very resistant. Damaged bricks should be replaced by new ones. Insulating the walls is another option you should consider. Check your windows too, there might be holes you don’t know about where pests and rodents can get through.

Cover large holes

To fill larger holes in your home’s exterior (roof vents, chimney), you need to use a wire mesh to keep out pests that can spread infestations. This material can be also used to cover holes in basements and crawl places.

Seal utility installation

Most homeowners had to deal at least once with gaps around the pipe penetrations. This is a huge invitation for insects to get through those large gaps. Installers may have filled the interior gaps, but what about the ones on the exterior of your house? Check the exterior of your home for openings that are made for cables (internet, phone wiring). Don’t forget to carefully check for electrical outlets and see how they are connected to your home. Fill these smaller gaps using caulk. For larger holes, it’s recommended to use polyurethane foam.

Contact a pest professional

Keep yourself and your family members safe and do not attempt to eliminate it by yourself. Don’t settle for cheap repairs, it won’t last and you might have the surprise to see your uninvited guests again. Instead, contact a pest professional that can offer you quality affordable pest control and most likely, will recognize the species and decide either destroying or taking them to a safe place.

Throw away trash and leftover food

To prevent bugs from getting into your trash, make sure it’s emptied each day. Leftovers can be a great invitation for cockroaches and other insects. Do not let any of your groceries or food products unsealed and try to use a single area to dine. Wipe away quickly any spills left after you eat and make sure you wash your dishes properly or put them into the dishwasher. Keep in mind that pests are attracted to dirty areas, so make sure you keep your home as clean as possible. It’s the simplest way to avoid pests to roam around.

Clear the floor daily

Residues and food must be cleaned daily, so you won’t attract any bugs to the mess. Skipping a day might be enough to attract some of the uninvited visitors to a meal. Just as a messy floor can be a perfect invitation to pests, spilled areas can be very attempting to bugs. Make sure you move your furniture and clean all the spills and residues on the floor.

Check the weather

Considering that some pests are more active during certain seasons, it’s important to keep your storage area clean and free from holes. Mosquitoes and ants are more likely to enter your home during the warm season. Keep your area dry to avoid attracting them.

Following the bits of advice above, might be really helpful in protecting yourself against the pests . Although it’s very important to make sure that your house and yard are being taken care of properly, remember that nothing comes with better solutions than a pest professional. There are plenty of reasons why insects may appear in your home. Of course, it is ideal for you to prevent these situations but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. With the help of an expert, you can get to the root of the problem and get rid of the annoying pests.