Pest control is mostly prevention. Getting insects out of your house once they’re well established often requires calling in professional exterminators. Keeping bugs out requires vigilance, but is far more pleasant than living with winged, crawling, stinging, biting pests. In addition to a good pest control program from Exclusive Pest Control, there are steps you can take to prevent insects from making your home theirs.
Inside the Home
Although your electric bill might not thank you, one of the best ways to prevent insect intrusion is to keep your lights on. Many bugs thrive in dark spaces, so regularly flooding your rooms with light- even rooms that aren’t used often like the basement can help deter insect invaders. Smells and dampness are prime attractants for many insects as well. Keep food and trash covered and sealed at all times, and be sure to mend any tears in screens. Stop up any holes or gaps that insects can use to slip into your home, including the space around entry doors. Weatherization strips can be quite effective in sealing off potential insect highways.
Around the Home
Cut back brush and keep grass and other foliage well-trimmed close to the home. Bugs love damp, dark, cool places to hide and breed. Offer them as few places as possible to gather. Keep gutters cleared and don’t let leaf litter or brush to pile up around your home. By reducing the number of places bugs can gather and breed, you can keep the population under control.
Outside the Home
Check your property for sources of still, standing water, including old tires, puddles, discarded containers, and old swimming pools. Any standing, stagnant water should be drained as soon as possible. Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water. Don’t give them a chance. Remove all standing water as soon as possible.