7 November How to Avoid Unwelcome Household Pests Before They Move In November 7, 2022 By sma DIY, Home Maintenance, Safety home exterior, kitchen, new homeowner, windows 0 HOW TO AVOID UNWELCOME HOUSEHOLD PESTS BEFORE THEY MOVE IN November 7, 2022 | Home Maintenance, Safety, DIY | new homeowner, kitchen, home exterior, windows After a long day’s work, your home is where well-deserved rest and recovery takes place. The last thing anyone wants is to share their personal space with an unwanted guest, but the more comfortable your home gets, the more attractive it becomes to pests. According to the US census, approximately 28.8 million households reported seeing either roaches or rodents in their homes in 2019. Even after diligent cleaning and regular house maintenance, pests know how to find a way inside. However, if you follow these few tips, you can ensure that your home remains pest-free. Keep Clean Finding a trail of ants or a mouse in your house doesn’t mean you’re a slob. Bugs and rodents will eat most anything, and usually pests that find their way into a home will break their way into sources of food or water. Still, there are a few cleaning habits and tips you can employ to avoid attracting any unwanted guests. First, don’t leave out any food when it is avoidable. This includes securing bags and boxes, cleaning up spills and crumbs as quickly as possible, and changing pet food regularly. Building these simple healthy habits is the first step to combating pests. It is worth noting that many people forget about their pets’ food, but pests eat this, too. Make sure to firmly close any bags of cat or dog food and examine them regularly for holes or openings. Maintenance and organization are also important when it comes to avoiding infestation. Repair any leaky faucets or pipes and check their condition regularly, as pests are drawn to water just as much as they are drawn to food. This can also mean occasionally checking areas that you don’t frequent such as crawlspaces, attics, or basements. Dark places or areas filled with unnecessary clutter like newspapers and cardboard boxes are perfect places for pests who want to avoid notice. Keep Them Out Most homeowners prefer keeping pests out in the first place, and the best way to do this is to close any openings from the building exterior. Normal wear and tear can lead to cracks or holes in siding, and pests don’t need much room to find their way inside. Regular inspection for damage and use of copper mesh, caulk, or expanding foam insulation to plug holes are handy tools to increase security. Other common entrances to homes include holes in screen doors or windows and chimneys. Investing in chimney screens and caps can help secure openings through your fireplace, and regular maintenance of your screen doors and windows is another simple way to reduce routes into your home. When All Else Fails Sometimes, even after doing everything right, pests find their way into homes. In such a case, nothing beats calling an expert, the people with the tools and experience to deal with even the most extreme cases. With these tips and resources, though, you can send out a clear message to all pests: no vacancy. Whether you’re just moving in, or you’d like to schedule your home maintenance inspection, call National Property Inspections to find an experienced professional near you! Comments are closed.