Tips to Keep Pests Away from Your Home

July 14, 2015 Tips to Keep Pests Away from Your Home

Summer is a great time to inspect the areas around the perimeter of your home, and remove any pest-magnets. This way you can keep bugs, rats, spiders and other pests from setting up shop right by your hose, giving them potential access to the inside.

Here are our best proactive pest-prevention tips:

1. Relocate anything that is leaning up against and touching your house. This includes yard waste and garbage bins, ladders, toys, and bicycles. If you have a woodpile, the general rule is to make sure the wood is stacked on a rackthat is located at least 5 feet away from the foundation of your house.

2. Trim back any vegetation that is touching your house. Trim back tree limbs that are hanging over and touching the top of your house. Remove any vines and shrubs that are leaning up against the house. Relocate any plants that are touching your house.

3. Regularly change water in water features. Clean up puddles, and change the water in ponds, birdbaths and pools frequently. If your dog doesn’t finish a bowl of water, empty it out at the end of the day and replace it with a fresh bowl every morning. This helps to reduce the mosquito population.

4. Seek out any small holes in your home that could become potential entryways for mice and rats. These are often found under the eaves of a home. Cover the holes with a sturdy wire screen such as copper mesh or stainless steel (as opposed to window-screen type mesh, which pests can easity chew through).

5. Spray the exterior foundation of your home with a natural, barrier-type pesticide Spraying the exterior of your home with a pesticide is a well-known way to control insects from entering your home. The problem is that most traditional types are not safe for children and pets after they are applied (sometimes for up to 24 hours). However, if you use a natural and organic type of spray, it will be safe for you, your children and your pets!