10 Ways to Bug-proof Your Home

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July 31, 2016

We love helping our clients solve pest problems and making their homes safe for families – but every so often, we have someone call about a problem that could easily have been prevented. This led us to think about things you can do to prevent pests in the first place. Of course, despite the best preventive measures, keep in mind that insects are tenacious little creatures, capable of getting through even the smallest opening in a home. In that case, you should give us a call and we’ll put our best pest control sleuths on the job.

In the meantime, here are 10 ways to bug-proof your home.

  1. Keep bushes and ornamental plants trimmed so they don’t touch your home. They can be highways for insects to enter your home!
  2. Seal cracks and crevices around windows and doors with caulking. Use a good quality silicone or acrylic latex caulk. Although somewhat less flexible than pure silicone, latex- type caulks clean up easily with water and are paintable.
  3. Remove food sources. Clean foods as soon as spills happen and be sure damp areas are dried.
  4. Store firewood away from the home to discourage termites and other pests from taking up residence.
  5. Pests like rodents build nests of paper and other shreddable materials, so discard any cardboard boxes or papers.
  6. Seal utility openings where pipes and wires enter the foundation and siding, e.g., around outdoor faucets, receptacles, gas meters, clothes dryer vents, and telephone/cable TV wires. These are common entry points for such pests as rodents, ants, spiders and yellowjackets. Holes can be plugged with caulk, cement, urethane expandable foam, steel wool, copper mesh or other suitable sealant.
  7. Repair gaps and tears in window and door screens. Doing so will help reduce entry of flies, gnats and mosquitoes during summer, and cluster flies, lady beetles, and other overwintering pests in early fall.
  8. Install 1/4-inch wire mesh (hardware cloth) over attic, roof, and crawl space vents in order to prevent entry of birds, bats, squirrels, rodents, and other wildlife.
  9. Insects need water to survive, and the most common source for them is a dripping faucet.
  10. Unless your dog “inhales” his food, it’s best to not leave bowls of pet food sitting around as that can be a favorite food of roaches!

There you have it. Remember to call DA Exterminating any time you have a pest problem! 800-650-PEST.