Fall Pest Prevention Tips

As we approach the colder seasons, it’s still important to keep up with the maintenance around your home. Even though this is the time pest activity begins to decrease, many want to go towards your home to hide from the cold. Here are some tips that can make a significant difference.

Natural Sources

As a pest control company, we always want to ensure your home is kept pest-free with safe methods. Aside from our regular treatments, many customers do ask about natural methods, and here are some effective things you can use at home.

• Using Essential Oils - Many insects and rodents do not like the scent of many oils. Using oils like peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus can be used to repel them. Some people will have diffusers with these scents in rooms they have the most trouble with. Another way is mixing water with these oils and spraying them in corners and other hot spots to deter bugs from hiding in them like spiders for example. Be mindful to do your research, if you have pets or children in the home only use pet and child-safe essential oils.
• Installing Bat Houses - Going against the belief that bats are dangerous and scary, they are actually extremely helpful to our ecosystem as long as they are left alone and undisturbed. They are natural predators of flying insects and can help reduce the population growth of pests like mosquitos or moths. Building and installing a bat house in your yard can help with the pest level in your yard, as well as with the experience of being able to see them from a distance.

Exterior Home Maintenance

Like any other time of the year, it’s important to keep up with the maintenance outside of your home, but there are some fall-specific things that need to be done to prepare for pests looking for places to hide.

• Clean up Leaf Debris - This is the time of year when leaves are falling to the ground and who doesn’t enjoy having a leaf pile you can jump in? But along with that fun, is the picture-perfect scene and a pile of leaves that are harboring pests at the same time. Removing the piles around your home will eliminate the chance of rodents or insects finding hiding spots in them and creating a temporary home. While cleaning up, it is also important to dispose of them properly. We recommend paper bags that can be found at your local store!
• Outside Lighting - Changing your outdoor lights to yellow or sodium vapor lights can help with deterring pests. Many insects, such as mosquitoes, are not attracted to these types of lights.

Interior Home Maintenance

Along with the outside of your home, making sure your home is prepared to keep away winter pests is important! Here are some tips, along with some signs of pest activity you can keep an eye on while we approach the cold season.

• Inspect and Seal Entry Points - Looking around your home for entry points is extremely crucial before we enter fall. Common things like gaps under doors, or ripped window screens are things that t should be addressed immediately. It helps prevent things like mice from getting into your home, as they can enter anything that is as small as the size of a pencil. Also using weather-appropriate materials like weather-resistant caulk, or expanding foam to seal up around your home to make sure it stays put during the cold months.
• Inspect Attics and Basements - Your attic and basement are the prime places where pests are seeking warmth! Regularly checking these places will help prevent an infestation from happening as well as any activity moving into another area of your home. Look for signs like droppings, gnaw marks, or nests, and address them quickly! Also, make sure these spaces are decluttered so pests won't find themselves making their new homes here.

Using these tips will help with dealing and lessening any activity during the fall, and as we get into a colder season. If you have any questions about our services or any activity, feel free to give our office a call at (844)922-7732!

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