Pests of all kinds want to be in your house when temperatures drop—raccoons and rodents will damage walls and wiring in their quest to find a warm place to bed down, while roaches and water bugs will stay out of sight during the day and come out at night to find free food. But there are a few things that you can do year round to help the professionals at Buzz Kill Pest Control keep your home free of pests. Just like humans, pests need water to survive, so keeping your plumbing well-maintained is key. Cockroaches, for instance, are especially attracted to moisture. Squirrels, spiders and raccoons can use tree branches to climb onto your roof, so make sure that your bushes and trees are trimmed to keep them from touching your house. Preventing roof access is important as many pests enter your home through your chimney or your attic vents. Your chimney and the vents that lead to your attic can be covered with mesh to make it more difficult for pests to enter.
How Do I Keep Food Away From Pests?
Proper storage of food and supplies is also important to reducing the number of unwanted visitors you have inside your home in the fall and winter. Keep food in your pantry in airtight containers to thwart cockroaches and ants. Keep outside trash cans covered to keep out rodents and raccoons. Store firewood away from the foundation of your home to keep termites from, not only eating the firewood, but using it to more easily access the wooden structure of your home. If you use your attic for storage, clean it up to remove nesting places for rats, mice, raccoons and squirrels.
So…. Why Do I Have Roaches?
While some cockroaches prefer warm and dry areas of your home, water bugs such as the American and Oriental cockroaches are attracted to dark, moist, humid conditions—sewers, sinks, drainpipes, water meter boxes, etc. Like humans, nearly all cockroaches prefer somewhat warm temperatures, although the Oriental cockroach tolerates cooler temperatures better than other species. Regardless of their tolerance to minor temperature fluctuations, the fact is that, when it’s rainy or cold or both, ALL types of cockroaches can and will hide in cracks as small as one-sixteenth-inch wide, squeezing in during the day and coming out at night to forage for crumbs, pet food, soap, book bindings and other organic matter.
So…. Why Do I Have Rodents?
Rodents, on the other hand, are a triple threat to homeowners because they can contaminate food, destroy property and spread serious diseases, including Hantavirus and LCMV, a viral disease that can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). They can spread these diseases through their urine and feces or directly through bites. Fleas, lice and ticks can also be brought into your home by rodents and can carry infection to humans after feeding on an infected mouse or rat. Once you have a rodent infestation, it’s important to contact a pest professional because rats can sense traps and bait. They colonize in attics, burrows, under concrete and porches, in walls and other hard to reach places.
Get Rid of Pests With Just a Few Adjustments!
It may seem like a bit of work, but being vigilant with your own home pest control and maintenance will help the professionals at Buzz Kill Pest Control do a better job at handling the big stuff. Much like throwing out a pile of junk mail or picking up toys before paying a company to do a deep clean on your house, keeping up with the basic maintenance issues of your home is what you can do to help your pest control professionals concentrate on larger problems like full-blown home infestations. With a little time and effort, you can reduce the number of pests that get into your home when the temperatures drop!