Most folks think that wintertime is time off from pest problems. If you’re talking about wasps, termites, and ants, you might be right. But bed bugs and rodents are a year-long problem and, in fact, can be a much bigger problem in the winter than they are in the summer. Even ants and termites will remain active if they have an abundant food supply in your home. Rodents will typically seek out warmer quarters to avoid below-freezing temperatures and once they’re in, they can be very difficult to get rid of. Need help protecting your home from pests this winter? We have some suggestions.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
Roaches, spiders, and rodents seek warmth as the weather begins to get colder and our homes provide them with the perfect place to nest. Unfortunately, they provide us with irritation at best and serious diseases at worst. The best advice that a pest control specialist will give you is that prevention is the best medicine for dealing with potential infestations. You know in winter they’re going to be coming, so late summer and early fall is the time to begin shoring up your defenses. How? We’ll discuss that below.
- Seal cracks along the foundation of your home. If there are any cracks around the foundation of your home, that provides insects and rodents an easy way in. The best idea is to have these sealed up by the time the weather begins to drop into the 40s and perform routine inspections once a year as the weather begins to change.
- Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around the basement foundation and be sure to check the windows or any ventilation from the basement to the outside. These are prime areas that pests will exploit.
- Be sure your firewood is stored at least 20 feet away from your home. Insects and rodents like to make nests beneath wood, so it’s important to ensure your wood is kept in a remote area of your backyard.
- Declutter your garage, storage, and crawl spaces. Clutter is a pest’s best friend. Like tiny ninjas, they move around in darkness seeking shelter from light and eyes. Rodents are naturally suspicious of wide-open spaces. They are the prey animal of birds, so clutter allows them to move around unseen. Fall is a good time to organize, place loose stuff in boxes, and donate whatever you’re not going to use.
- Check for moisture around sinks and pipes. Pests love moisture, so the more you can deprive them of it, the better off you’ll be.
- Screen your vents (even to your chimney). Santa Clause isn’t the only thing that comes down your chimney in winter. Rats do too. Make sure all your vents have screens, even your chimney.
Dealing With Bed Bugs
Now that the holidays are here, so are out-of-town family members traveling by car, train, and plane. They come from all over the country and may not even realize they’re tracking bed bugs along with them. While you can’t force them to disrobe immediately upon entry, you can be extra-vigilant about washing your sheets after they leave.
But even the most vigilant of holiday hosts may find themselves with some new unwanted guests. If that’s the case, you can always call in Pointe Pest Control to rid yourself of the problem. In the meantime, you’ll have to keep it from spreading, so be sure to move everything off the wall, wash any linens that you can (on high heat) and seal off the room until it can be fumigated.
Dealing With Spiders
Unlike other pesky critters, spiders can remain a year-long problem. There isn’t much you can do to prevent a spider here or a spider there, but if you have a lot of spiders in your home during the winter, then your problem may be bigger than just spiders.
Spiders are simple creatures. They like to make webs, mate, and eat. For efficiency’s sake, they tend to hang out where their food is, so if you have a major spider problem in your home, it’s because your home provides spiders with a tasty buffet of prey. Spiders can be managed by dealing with the underlying infestation.
Call Pointe Pest Control Today for a Free Inspection
If you suspect your home has been invaded by unwanted guests, the pest control specialists at Pointe Pest Control can help you manage the problem and prevent it from happening in the future. Call us today to set up your free home inspection.
