Enjoy a Pest-Free Home This Summer

Summertime brings with it an abundance of sunshine and great weather, but if you’re a homeowner, you know that it also brings many pests. From ants and termites to wild animals and bees, all kinds of critters will invade your home for the cool shelter and plentiful food supply. Aside from being a nuisance, some pests can also be hazardous. They may be venomous, carry diseases or give painful bites. Occupants and visitors in your home may also be allergic to certain pests, which dramatically increases the threat. In order to avoid troublesome vermin this summer, here are some things you should do.

Cut Off Food Access

One of the main reasons pests invade homes is because there is an ample supply of readily available food. Raccoons, possums, roaches, ants and mice won’t hesitate to ransack pantries and pet food bags, leaving a mess in their wake and forcing you to pay for the damage. It’s strongly recommended that you keep things like sugar, flour, grains and pet foods in tightly sealed plastic or glass containers. Once you cut off pests’ food supply, they will often times simply leave. It’s also important to note that if pests have gotten into your food, you should dispose of it right away. The animals may have left behind droppings, urine or saliva, all of which are potent disease vectors.

Bar Entry Points

Just about any animal can get into your home if they want to badly enough, but there are things you can do to make it harder for them. Take a walk around the perimeter of your house and check for any cracks or holes that may provide easy entry and seal them up with caulk. Old drafty windows should also be checked as they provide convenient doorways for spiders and other bugs. Furthermore, make sure the weather seals on your doors are in good shape. Once they degrade, they fail to create an adequate seal and can allow pests inside. Other essential places to examine include your attic, basement, garage or crawl space. Rodents and other mammals consider these to be excellent hiding places. Because these animals can carry fleas, rabies and a plethora of other serious diseases, be sure to seal up any potential entry points into these areas.

Regular Pest Control

Aside from the everyday things you can do yourself, it’s also important to receive regular pest control services. They will be able to inspect your home for evidence of pests, tell you what kind of infestation you’re dealing with and provide additional tips on discouraging them. In addition, they will use long-acting pesticides to kill any pests that do make their way indoors. If you have an active infestation of critters like bees and raccoons, you may need to hire someone to come to your home and remove them for you.

Moisture Control

If you live in a climate where the summertime humidity is high, your home may be more susceptible to termite infestations. Many species of termite prefer wood that is softened by moisture, and this includes your house. For this reason, the best way to prevent a termite problem is to reduce the humidity indoors by using a dehumidifier. This will also have the added benefit of preventing the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause health problems on their own. However, this should not be a replacement for regular termite inspections. By hiring pest control professionals to perform these termite inspections, problems can often be caught before they become too severe.