The two pests that can present the most threat to your health are mice and rats. When temperatures drop, these critters are motivated to find warm places to hide. They can spread diseases, ticks, fleas, parasitic worms, and other disease-causing organisms. They can also damage your property. These two pests create holes for cockroaches, silverfish, clothing moths, carpet beetles, and many other insects to get in. If your home has holes, these and other insects are likely to take advantage of them. When they get in, they can make you sick, damage your belongings, and damage your home.
Attractants
Before snow starts covering the ground, you have time to consider attractants around your home. Attractants increase pest activity around your home and increase your chances of an infestation.
- Rake leaves up and away from your exterior walls.
- Address conditions that make your foundation perimeter moist.
- Reduce unnecessary vegetation.
- Make sure your trash is in sealed receptacles, and dispose of trash weekly.
- Reduce exterior lights.
- Move objects away from your exterior walls, especially woodpiles.
- Move bird feeders away from your exterior.
Seal Your Exterior Walls and Foundation
When bugs, rodents, and wildlife explore your exterior, you want them to find as few entry points as possible. Use a caulking gun, expanding foam, and a foundation repair kit to address any cracks, gaps, or holes.
- Seal gaps around pipes, PVC wire conduits, air conditioning units, etc.
- Make sure your exhaust vents have covers.
- Make sure your screens, weatherstripping, door sweeps, and door jams are in good working condition.
- Examine your door frames, window frames, and sole plates. Fill in any holes created by wood-destroying pests.
Pest Management
When bugs, rodents, and wildlife explore your exterior, make it difficult for them to get to vulnerable areas. This is particularly true for mice and rats. Use these tips.
- Push mesh in downspouts.
- Trim branches away from your roofline and exterior.
- Remove lattices that can allow animals to easily scale your walls.
- Remove vines or vegetation from the sides of your walls.
- Trim bushes and shrubs away from your exterior. This makes it more difficult for ants and other insects to get to entry points around first-floor windows.
Invest in a Pest Control Plan
There is no better way to keep bugs, rodents, and wildlife out of your home than to make an investment in a residential pest control program. Routine visits from a licensed professional, appropriate application of pest control products, and routine pest maintenance around your home will give you the best results possible. A professional knows what works to reduce and manage fall pests. Spiders, for instance, are effectively controlled by the elimination of webs and food resources. Our team members use a spider web removal tool to get rid of webs, which can have hundreds of eggs stored in silk sacs, and they reduce bugs that spiders feed on. Together, this works to make your home resistant to spider infestations.
If you'd like to learn more about residential rodent control, or to discuss the options that are available for your Hartford home, reach out to us. American Pest Solutions is here to help you protect your health and property from fall pests—and pest threats that can arise at any time of year.