You probably tell the kids not to let the bed bugs bite when they go to bed at night, but you don’t expect there to really be bed bugs. Maintaining a pest-free home is something most people value.
There’s not much fun to be had sharing your home with mice, roaches, and other household pests. Whether you already have unwanted house guests or you want to prevent them, there are steps you can take to get the job done.
Read through a brief look at a few tips for maintaining a pest-free home, and don’t live your life with the heebie-jeebies.
Turn your eyes to your plants and mulch
If you want some level of garden right up next to your home, use rocks instead of wood chip mulch. Mulch creates an ideal space for pests to live comfortably.
The mulch also creates a bridge for pests to enter your home through small openings in your foundation. You’ll raise your chances of dealing with termite damage by planting a mulch-based garden by your home.
Check doors and windows for gaps
Bugs and other pests don’t need much space to enter your home, and they want to get inside to find a safe nesting spot. You should regularly check your home’s windows and doors for gaps. You would also benefit from walking the perimeter of the exterior of your home now and again.
Check for any openings, loose pieces of siding, missing roof shingles, and gaps/cracks in the foundation. If you find large openings, seal them with coarse steel wool mixed with expanding caulk. The caulk alone isn’t good enough, as most pests can easily chew a hole through it.
Don’t keep trash near your home
Storing your trash close to your home isn’t helpful in keeping pests away. It’s best to keep your cans down by the curve. Raccoons, mice, cats, and other pests love infiltrating your waste. You’re asking for trouble by storing a week’s worth of trash next to your home.
Tips on placing exterior lighting
Though the tendency is to place porch lighting right beside the front door, it’s not the most thoughtful placement. It’s better to place lighting away from your home shining onto your home.
Try installing small pole lamps five to six feet away from your home’s front door, and you’ll have fewer moths rolling around each night.
Store firewood, stones, and bricks away from your foundation
Firewood, stones, and bricks you need to store should not be placed right up against your home’s foundation. You’ll provide a happy home for a range of pests, place your home at risk of invasion.
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