An Ounce of Prevention is a Must When it Comes to Pests
Rats and mice will want to come into your home during the winter. Homeowners need to respond with suitable measures to keep them out. Here are some of the wintertime actions you need to undertake to keep mice and rats out of your home.
It is best for average homeowners to always take active measures to prevent pests from entering their homes. Do not wait until you see signs you already have a problem. Here is a look at some of the things you can do to keep pests out.
One of the main things you need to focus on is eliminating any potential sources of food for pests. Do not leave crumbs or other debris lying around on the floor. Sweep up your kitchen on a regular basis. Also,
it is best for you to avoid keeping trash around too long. Whenever the bag gets full you should take it out immediately.
Many homeowners keep the doors or windows open so they can benefit from the increased air circulation. Windows should have screens on them to keep small insects out. Inspect these screens periodically to ensure that there are no holes in them. The areas beside doors and windows should also be checked for gaps and cracks. If you spot any, then you will need to fill them in with caulk.
Another good idea is to check the exterior of your home for other holes. Insects and other pests can easily use them to enter your home. If there are small holes, then it is safe to use caulk to repair them. However, if the holes are a bit larger you will need to use a stronger material such as concrete to fix them.
While checking on the exterior of your home for holes you should also take notice of any trees located close to your home. It is best for you to not allow the branches to hang over your roof. If they do rodents can use the branches to climb over and gain entry into your attic or other suitable entrance.
During the winter you will especially want to take good preventative measures. Pests of all types will be looking to escape the harsh weather conditions outside by finding a warm place to stay.
You will likely burn a lot of firewood during the winter if you have a chimney. Do not stack the firewood on your porch or anywhere else too close to your home. Ants, cockroaches, termites, and other pests will make their home in the firewood and may eventually decide to make their way into your home.
Do not stack the firewood on the ground either. If you keep it up off the ground, pests will have a harder time making it their new home.
