Spring is a beautiful time of year–weather is warmer, flowers bloom, and everything comes alive again. But it’s also a time when pests come out of hiding to find food and shelter. They returned along with the arrival of spring. When the seasons change from cold to warm, the temperature increases along with the humidity in the air. Well, that’s when the creatures wake up from sleep, in this case are nasty pests. They will find food, shelter, and also start the breeding season. Rodents such as mice will start the breeding season, ants will search for food, spiders appear, and termites join their flock. In addition, the increased temperature will also make bed bugs move places. With this phenomenon, you must keep your home away from these pests.
Spring is an ideal time to fortify your home against unwanted pests. But, even with the best prevention, it’s still possible that you will face a problem. If you familiar with the spring cleaning, make sure that the pests hotspot in your home are resolved and properly controlled. It’s essential to be vigilant and take proactive measures to keep pests at bay. We’ve put together a list of some spring pest control ideas to help you keep your home free and clear this season! Let’s check it out!
Keep Your Home Clean and Clutter-Free
With spring finally here, ants, roaches and other pests will begin looking for shelter and food in your home. Prevent this problem by keeping your home clean and clutter-free. One of the most important ways to keep your home clutter-free is by decluttering unwanted items and organizing what you have. This will reduce the number of places that pests can hide. Clutter is a popular hideout for ants and other insects, so make sure to clear out old furniture, boxes, and equipment. This is particularly important for basements, closets and other areas where clutter may not be disturbed often.
Kitchens are another area that should be thoroughly cleaned. Wipe down tables, counters, and chairs regularly to remove crumbs that may attract pests. Store food and garbage in sealed containers that cannot be chewed through to prevent insect infestations from occurring. Taking the time to keep your home tidy and clean will ensure that you and your family have a healthier, happier place to live. Moreover, this will help you control pests in the long run by preventing them from coming back.
Check Your Gutters
Gutters are an ideal hiding place for many pests. They also offer a protected, damp environment that’s perfect for stinging insects like bees and hornets. The gutters on your home are a crucial part of its water flow and drainage system. If they are clogged or not properly functioning, it can lead to serious problems with your foundation, including structural damage and potential termite infestations. Therefore, you have to check and clean your gutters.
Seal Off Entry Points
If you want to keep pests out of your home this spring, you must seal off entry points. These can be any small gaps or holes around your doors, windows, walls, or floors. You can do this yourself with a simple caulking gun and silicone sealant. However, if you want to take a more specialized approach, you can have a local professional do this for you.
In addition to sealing off entry points, you should also regularly check your home for any pests. This will ensure you are catching any potential issues before they become a full-blown problem. Rodent and other pests are opportunistic animals that will always look for an opening to enter your home. Consequently, you must be on the lookout for areas where mice might gain entry such as gaps in your foundation, around garage doors, and near pipes and utilities.
Install Window Screens
When it’s time to start opening your windows to air out your home, make sure you have fresh window screens ready for the warmer weather. Screens keep bugs and other critters out of your home, so you can enjoy the fresh breeze without worrying about them invading your space. Before reinstalling your screens, clean them thoroughly to remove any gunk from the winter rains and harsh winds. A simple spray of a hose with soapy water is often enough to get rid of dirt and grime, but you may also want to brush off any spider webs or other debris that might be clinging to your screens. There are many different types of window screens, ranging from metal to fiber or pet-friendly options.
Clean Up Your Yard
Springtime is a great time for cleaning up your yard, but it’s also a great time to take measures to prevent pest control problems. With warmer temperatures and more sunlight, pests are on the prowl looking for new homes and food sources. Infestations can happen anywhere outside your home, so take care to clean up any pest hotspots around your property. These include leaf piles, tree limbs that touch your home, and wood piles.
Removing these areas will help prevent critters from finding their way inside your home. Debris left in your yard can provide hiding places for a number of pests, including ants and millipedes. Leaving mulch in your yard can be attractive to a variety of insects, so be sure to limit how much you put down.
Check Your Crawl Space
Pests are attracted to cool, moist crawl spaces and often find their way into homes in search of food and shelter. Keeping your crawl space free of clutter and stored items helps prevent infestations from occurring. Many crawl spaces have vents that allow natural ventilation of the space. These can be a good place to inspect for signs of insects, rodents or wood rot.
Termites, for example, are wood destroying pests that bore tunnels in the wooden beams underneath your home. When this happens, the wood can rot and compromise your foundation’s stability. Rats, mice and other rodents can also cause significant damage to your home’s foundation. They leave droppings, nests and tunnels in the crawl space. If you’ve noticed any of these signs in your crawl space, contact an exterminator. They can use traps to catch and remove the pests, or they can apply pesticides to kill them completely.