As the weather warms up and spring arrives, it also means the active season for unwanted pests that want to invade your home. From pesky ants and cockroaches to disease-carrying rodents and wood-destroying termites, protecting your property against these seasonal invaders is key for comfort, health and preventing costly damage. Take action now with these helpful tips from the licensed techs at Bigham Pest Services to fortify your home’s defenses and keep pests at bay this spring.
Conduct Thorough Inspections Inside and Out
The first line of defense is locating any problem areas pests can exploit to sneak their way in. Take time to thoroughly inspect the interior and exterior of your home for potential entry points and things that attract pests.
Outdoors, walk the entire perimeter, looking along the foundation for cracks, gaps around doors/windows, holes where utilities enter, loose vents and any other crevices that need sealing. Check the perimeter of porches, patios, decks and crawl spaces too, where animals often hide out and gain access.
Indoors, carefully inspect pantries, cabinets, the basement, attic, garage and anywhere else clutter tends to accumulate. Discard any food scraps, yard debris or moisture sources. Pay extra attention around appliance pipes under sinks, stoves, dishwashers, etc. that allow pathway for bugs.
With problem spots identified, it’s time to start sealing them up. Prioritize any openings connected to the outdoors first to establish a protective barrier.
Seal Up Cracks, Crevices and Utility Entry Points
Once gaps vulnerable to invading pests are located, it’s critical to properly seal them up around your home’s exterior shell and utility entry points where the outdoors meets the indoors.
Use caulk or weather-resistant sealant designed for exterior use to patch cracks/gaps in siding, windows, doors and foundations. Cover vent openings with corrosion-proof steel mesh to permit airflow while blocking pests. Ensure windows and doors form tight seals when closed. Repair damaged screens as well, focusing on attic and basement vents where rodents often get in.
For openings around penetrations where utilities like wires, pipes, cables, etc. enter from outdoors, apply weatherproof expanding spray foam sealant into larger gaps before caulking the edges for an airtight barrier. Where utilities cross through concrete foundation walls, install specially fitted wall plates designed for each pipe/conduit type to close off the remaining space while still permitting utility functionality.
For indoor cracks and openings within walls, along floorboards and around internal plumbing penetrations, apply caulk or steel wool stuffing to keep out bugs. Expanding foam can tackle larger gaps. Get any holes in the kitchen and bath cabinets sealed up too.
Ensure windows and doors seal tightly when closed. Consider installing weatherstripping around them to block pesky air leaks and gaps where insects and rodents enter. The pros at Bigham Pest Services can guide you on proper sealing methods and materials that won’t compromise your home’s structural integrity or internal moisture regulation.
Organize Clutter-Prone Areas That Attract Pests
Another key tactic is getting cluttered spaces organized to eliminate welcoming environments where pests love to hide and nest. Pack up rarely accessed items in airtight plastic bins and get rid of anything you no longer need. Moving objects away from walls also cuts off potential hiding spots behind them.
Pay special attention to garages, attics, basements, closets, and food pantries that tend to accumulate clutter over time. Wipe down shelves and sweep floors before restocking items to remove traces of food debris, dust and other pest attractants. Consider installing shelves/bins to keep these spaces cleaner moving forward. Monitor organized areas with glue boards and insect monitors to detect early signs of activity.
Discourage Pests From Outside By Managing The Landscape
While sealing up your home’s outer shell is critical, pest prevention requires managing the outdoors surrounding your home too. Ensure trees, bushes, grass and dense vegetation are trimmed back at least 2 feet from exterior walls. This eliminates protective cover for pests to hide under while providing a zone for monitoring.
Prune any branches touching your roof or overhanging it to prevent squirrels and other tree-dwellers from accessing. Get rid of wood/rock piles, dense ground cover vegetation and other clutter near the home’s perimeter where rodents hide.
Relocate compost bins and trash receptacles away from the exterior walls while keeping their lids tightly sealed. Promptly clean fallen fruit, pet food or other food debris in your landscape that serve as food sources. Installing outdoor lighting to illuminate perimeters can also help by repelling nocturnal insects and rodents who avoid bright areas.
Ensuring proper drainage away from your home’s foundation also plays a big role. Check gutters and downspouts are clear of debris directing water away from the house. Repair any leaks or improper drainage from HVAC systems, irrigation sprinklers, etc. that causes moist areas conducive to termites, ants and other moisture-loving bugs around your home’s exterior walls.
Schedule Preventative Pest Control Service
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to pest control. Quarterly exterior treatments applied by professionals like the team at Bigham Pest Services provide ongoing prevention against invading insects and wildlife. Monthly to quarterly interior treatments may be warranted too depending on your pest pressures.
Preventative treatments eliminate any pests on site while providing residual protections that keep new ones out. Technicians are also able to get product into hard to reach spots homeowners can miss. And they will catch issues early before populations boom into more serious infestations. Custom treatment plans can target common Georgia pests like mosquitos, roaches, rodents, termites, bed bugs, spiders, fire ants and more.
Schedule a free inspection from the licensed pros at Bigham Pest Services. They service the Conyers, Covington, Monroe, Loganville, Snellville and greater Atlanta area with the latest products, treatment methods and pest prevention education to keep your family safe.
FAQs
Still have questions about defending your home from invading pests this spring? Check out answers to some frequently asked questions:
What are signs of a pest problem I should look out for?
Evidence includes droppings, nesting materials, gnaw marks, sheds skins/casings and sightings of the pests themselves. Also be on guard for strange odors, damaged food boxes/structures, grease marks along walls and baseboards, and unexplained bites or skin irritation on pets.
When’s the best time to pest proof a house?
Tackling pest prevention measures while temperatures are still cool as spring kicks off ensures you seal vulnerable spots and eliminate conducive conditions before bugs become active. Ongoing diligence year-round is ideal though including routine monitoring for new gaps and immediate action at first signs of pests.
What’s the recommended service frequency from pest control companies?
Most homeowners benefit from quarterly exterior treatments to maintain protective barriers against pests season to season. Monthly to quarterly interior treatments may provide added security depending on pest pressures. The technicians at Bigham Pest Services will assess conditions at your home and customize an optimal plan.
What products and treatment methods do you use?
Bigham Pest Services focuses on integrated pest management, utilizing exclusion tactics, sanitation and environmental modifications first before considering any pesticide use. When chemicals are needed for elimination, we use the latest active ingredients approved for residential use in accordance with state regulations and application standards.
How can I discourage pests without using pesticides?
Many of the pest proofing measures detailed in this article provide effective prevention without any chemical residues to worry about. Proper sanitation, sealing cracks/crevices, installing weather stripping, mesh screens, managing exterior landscapes and monitoring for signs of activity all help deter pests without spraying.
With some diligence and help from the pros, defending your home from invading pests is very achievable this spring. Contact Bigham Pest Services today to get started!