The best way to combat any problem is to stop it happening in the first place. And pest control is no exception. Insects, bugs, and creepy crawlies, especially down here in Florida, are a lot easier to deal with before they get in the door.
Here are our top 5 tips on how to bug proof your house to stop the pests even making it inside.
1. Install door sweeps
The best way to PERMANENTLY stop insects and pests from gaining entry into your home is to create a physical barrier between you and them.
The problem is that what seems like a solid barrier to you might not be doing the job. For creepy crawlies like spider, roaches, and ants, a 1/16 inch gap is enough to allow entry. For mice, it’s a 1/8 inch gap, and for rats, it’s a half inch. That’s not a lot of leeway for a door.
The best solution is to install door sweeps. A door sweep will smooth other this gap and stop insects and others from getting in.
What’s more, a door sweep will help keep hot air out in and cool air in during the hot Orlando summer.
2. Seal all your pipe and wire access points
Steel wool is a fast and effective solution here.
First off, it’s cheap. Second, it’s really cheap. Third, it’s extremely accessible, and did we mention cheap?
It’s the same logic as the door sweep. It doesn’t take much of a hole bugs and pests to find and exploit. Steel wool is easy to stuff around and fill in the gaps for all the various access holes that come with modern homes.
Specific areas to make sure you block up include your laundry pipes, your HVAC pipes, any electrical wiring entrances and exits you have, and your air conditioner unit. A quick check in each room in your home followed by a walk around the exterior should cover all your bases.
3. Keep your window screens whole
One of the most common pest control Orlando problems that we see is that screens are broken and not fixed quickly enough.
Fixing a screen is extremely easy. But it needs to be done quickly before pests can get a toehold in your abode.
4. Cover your vents with mesh
Similar to stuffing pipes with steel wool, a simple and preventative measure for keeping out bigger pests like racoons, squirrels, and rodents is to put tough metal screens over any external vents. Laundry, attic, and HVAC vents are all likely spots for pests to enter.
A tough metal mesh will help prevent them from entering and save you the trouble of having to get them out.
5. Clean up any crumbs
Finally, clean up your crumbs. Insects and rodents are driven inside by two things (usually): food, and warmth. Obviously, warmth isn’t such a problem down south, which means it’s probably food they’re after.
Now if you can reduce how tantalizing a prize your home is for pests, they’re a lot less likely to come bother you.
There you have it. Five easy tips you can put into action right now. And if you’ve already got a pest problem, get in touch – we’ll come down and get you pest free FAST.
Waqar Hassan is a Blogger, Author and Entrepreneur who heads an IT & Web Company. He loves writing and manages several blogs including https://menaentrepreneur.org and https://www.migratemusicnews.com. Waqar Hassan is one of the top Freelancers in the SEO and Digital Marketing Industries. He can be contacted at http://www.waqarhassan.con OR via [email protected].
