Once Isn’t Enough; Ongoing Pest Monitoring is Critical

Harboring pests in your home will not just be a nuisance; it can end up costing you lots of money.  Calling out a pest control specialist just once a year will not cut it either.  It is critical for you to monitor your pest situation on an ongoing basis. 

Taking even the best preventative measures sometimes will not be enough and an invasion can begin.  Having your home inspected or inspecting it yourself on a regular basis allows you to spot problems early and eradicate them.

At least once a month, you should take a walk all around the exterior of your home checking for possible entrance points.  Hairline cracks in your foundation likely will not be big enough to allow entry for rodents like mice or rats, but carpenter ants and smaller insects can easily invade through them.

Cracks and crevices are usually easily repaired using simple caulk.  It is pretty inexpensive and easily obtained from your local hardware store, so there is no excuse for letting cracks or crevices go unrepaired for a long period of time.

Virtually every modern home has an air conditioning unit.  The unit's pipes have to enter the house somehow, so the entry point will need to be properly sealed.  This is one of the most common ways for pests to enter the home.

Many times, the seal around the air conditioning pipes are poorly done and will easily erode.  You cannot repair the problem with just anything though.  Rats can easily chew through caulk, so you will need to use steel wool or even sheet metal to keep them from doing so.

Homeowners who are rather mobile as well as safety-conscious may even want to consider going up on their roofs for pest inspection.  Rats are great climbers, so do not think that a tall vertical wall will keep them at bay.  Inspect the area around the soffits to see if there are any possible entrance points.  If there are any, repair them as soon as possible.

After finishing up with the roof, you will need to head down to your basement if you have one.  These areas are prone to pest infestations since they are so secluded.  If you keep cardboard boxes down there, then roaches will appreciate the hiding spaces.  Rodents will too.

Some pests present health hazards, while others will lead to an expensive repair bill.  You do not want to have to face either situation, do you?  You can largely avoid problems by practicing ongoing pest monitoring.