Although winter hasn’t officially arrived in New England, it is just around the corner, and it is the time of year when people start raking up the final round of fallen leaves, putting away the lawn mower, digging out the snow shovels, and finding their winter boots. Just as we are preparing for the upcoming winter months, pests like mice, rats, wildlife, and cockroaches are doing the same. Winter pests are on the hunt for safe, warm shelter that is in close proximity to food and water. For this reason, it is important to remember that now is the time to pest-proof your home for the upcoming winter.
Many homeowners believe that during the winter season insects, rodents and other pests won’t be an issue and isn’t something to worry about. However, winter is actually the time of year when many homes become infested with pests. And who can blame the pests, which would you choose, living in the cold, snowy outdoors, or a secluded warm space next to a kitchen?
It is important to remember that pests are not just a nuisance to have in your home; they can introduce diseases, contaminate your food, destroy personal property, and even damage the structure of your home. To help prevent those things from happening in your home it is very important to maintain regular pest control services throughout the entire year. It may be tempting to think that you could skip winter services but doing so could end up costing you more in time, money, and stress when you have to eliminate winter pests from your home. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and we would agree!
Along with having year-round pest control services in place, there are some things that you can do around your home in order to help keep pests where they belong this winter, outside. Pest prevention tips from the pros at American Pest Solutions include:
- Rake leaves and other debris from your yard. Pests like to live and hide underneath them.
- Clean out your home’s gutters. Leaves and sticks often build up in gutters and pests will be drawn to them to nest and live in.
- Store firewood a distance away from the exterior of your home.
- Keep outdoor trash cans away from the exterior of your home and make sure they are equipped with tight-fitting lids.
- Rinse outdoor plants off gently before bringing them inside. Insects can often come inside on the leaves of plants.
- Inspect the foundation of your home and seal any cracks and crevices that are present.
- Caulk gaps can be found around exterior windows and doors. Make sure that exterior doors have door sweeps on them.
- Check your roof and replace any broken or missing roof shingles and make sure that your chimney has a tight fitting cap on it.
At American Pest Solutions, we can help you maintain a pest-free home throughout the entire year with our Pest Guard home pest control plan. Our home pest control services will help to ensure that pests are controlled no matter what the weather is outside. For more information about winter pests, how to pest-proof your home for the winter, or about our home pest control services contact our professionals today!