The Cold Weather Is Coming: 4 Steps To Keep The Pests Away

Summer is officially over. The weather is cooling down. It's time to start bringing out the winter sweaters. It's also time to prepare your home for the winter pest invasions. Once the weather turns cold, pests will start looking for places to settle into for the winter. Unfortunately, if you're not prepared, your home could quickly become the neighborhood hotspot for pest activity. Here are four simple steps you can take to protect your home from pest invasions this winter.

Moisture-Proof Your Basement

If you've got a basement in your home, your pest-proofing should begin there. This is particularly true if your washer and dryer are in the basement. During the winter months, your basement can develop a moisture problem when the washer and dryer are running. When searching for places to hide out for the winter, roaches and mice tend to gravitate towards moisture. You can keep them out of your basement by installing exhaust fans and dehumidifiers in your basement.

Seal Up Cracks and Crevices

Take a look around the exterior of your home, including the foundation. If you see cracks or crevices in the foundation or walls, you should get those repaired as quickly as possible. Mice and other pests will crawl through those spaces to get into your home. It's also a good idea to inspect the water pipes that run throughout your home. If there are spaces between the pipes and the walls, fill those spaces with spray foam insulation. This will prevent pests from using those gaps as access points into your home.

Close Off Your Windows and Doors

When pest-proofing your home for winter, you should also inspect your windows and doors. Pests can crawl through small tears in window screens. They can also gain entrance through the gaps under your doors. Before winter arrives, repair any tears you find in your window screens. If your exterior access doors don't have door sweeps – the edging that's attached to the bottom of the door – be sure to install them before winter arrives. The door sweeps will not only help prevent pest invasions, they will also help keep the cold air out of your home.

Move Your Firewood

If you have a fireplace, or wood-burning stove, you probably like to keep the firewood as close to your home as possible. However, storing your firewood near your home can increase your chances of developing a pest problem over the winter. To keep pests away, store your firewood at least five feet away from the foundation of your home.

Winter is almost here. It's time to gear up for the cold weather. While you're making your preparations for the changing seasons, make sure you protect your home against pest invasions. For other tips on how to protect your home from pests, be sure to speak to a pest control company like Suffolk Pest Control.