Nobody wants to share their lives – or their homes — with pests. Taking a preventive approach to pest control can help you avoid insect and pest infestation as well as keep toxic chemicals to a minimum in and around your home.
Insect Prevention Strategies
The first thing to consider, indoors or out, is what type of conditions are attractive to pests. The main goals of pests in invading your home are typically the hunt for shelter, water, or a food source. Identify the sources of these attractions inside your home, and eliminate them. Find locations where bugs might easily gain entrance to the home and secure them using caulk, bee foam, screen, or weather stripping. Repair window and door screens and use them regularly. Keep food products sealed and put away, and trash bagged and in lidded receptacles. Clean up attics, garages, basements, and other storage areas of clutter, especially paper and cardboard products. Repair any water leaks or drips, and insert sink drain plugs at night.
Rodent Prevention Strategies
There’s nothing quite like a surprise rodent encounter inside your home. The CDC reports that rodents and the diseases they carry can be highly dangerous to humans, so keeping them out of your home is critical. Many of the same precautions that work for preventing insect infestations also apply to rodents, especially removing all available sources of access, food, and water.
Use metal trim strips or sweeps on the bottom of doors to help keep rodents out. Keep storage areas cleaned up, particularly with regard to wood, paper, and cardboard products. Store any of these items on a rack, well off the ground. Ensure that trash is kept in sealed cans and never leave trash bags out or open overnight. Do not leave pet food out overnight and clean up any that is spilled right away. Screen chimneys, vents, and any openings to the outside. Be sure to store firewood outside the home.
When Pest Prevention Fails
Despite your best efforts to prevent mice and insects in your home, your attempts to control bugs and other pests may not be enough. Professional pest control technicians are trained to recognize areas where pests may penetrate your home and to mitigate the infestation. Regular treatment from All Green Pest Control and Lawn Care is typically sufficient to prevent both insects and rodents inside your home.