5 Easy Ways To Bug-Proof Your Home For Fall and Winter
Leaves are changing, temperatures are dropping, and the sun is setting just a little earlier each day. Yup, it’s fall, and that means everybody is settling in for cold nights and a long winter ahead - insects included.
But the change of seasons doesn’t necessarily mean you need to brace your home for insect invasion, and keeping pests at bay can actually be simple. By following just a few key strategies, you can get your home bug-proofed and ready to take on any potential invaders the fall might throw at you.
1. Seal Up Everything
Unlike us, insects don’t need a wide-open door to make their way inside your house - nor do they need an invitation. Any tiny gap or crack in your siding can look like an easy way in for any insect in search of a warm place to wait out the winter. That’s why it’s critical to seal up every last opening in your house, especially the ones you might not initially think of.
Thoroughly inspect the outside of your home for any openings, being sure to look around corners, near gutters, along your foundation, alongside doors and windows, and even on your roof. Insulation can also be a huge help in keeping insects from seeking out indoor warmth in your home. The time you spend sealing up openings can translate to hours saved fighting insects later on in the season.
2. Watch What You Bring Home
Bugs are among the best at finding ways inside places they don’t belong, and one favorite method is by hitching a ride inside. Firewood is one well-known vehicle for insect invaders, especially when brought inside on cold nights and left by the hearth long enough for passengers to escape; heavy jackets and boots are also an easy hiding spot for insects looking to make their way inside unseen.
Be especially careful about what you bring inside during the autumn season, and check your clothes for hangers-on before getting comfortable, and you can remove that easy transport for any insect looking to get inside.
3. Keep Things Clean
A messy house can look like a veritable red carpet for pests in any season, and in fall and winter the feeling can be even stronger. That’s because clutter offers insects a huge amount of hiding space they can scurry to when the lights flick on, and extra cover from discovery even when you go looking. Food left out, for example, can be an open invitation for insects seeking a quick bite to eat and somewhere warm to outlast the cold and snow.
Don’t leave your “spring cleaning” for the spring alone - take time at the start of fall to clear the clutter and remove the temptation for pests to settle in at all.
4. Minimize Excess Moisture
Much like every other animal on the planet, insects need water to survive.That’s why many species of fall invaders seek out not only warmth, but a place where they can wet their whistle with water that isn’t frozen. If your basement, attic, or interior walls are more humid than they should be, this can look like a luxurious watering hole for just about any pest that comes to stay.
Check your home for pockets of standing water, especially in easy-to-miss places like under your stairs or inside your walls. For particularly damp areas like attics or basements, dehumidifiers can be a huge help in keeping moisture levels at a minimum. That way, bugs won’t come to your home when looking for a refreshing mid-autumn drink.
5. Start Thinking Ahead To Next Year
While interior insect invaders may become a serious nuisance only when the temperature outside starts to drop, planning for a bug-free home through the cold season and into spring is really a year-round effort. That means the best way to keep your home bug-free for next winter is to start thinking about it now - that way, you won’t have to scramble when the leaves start to change.
A professional pest management expert can help you thoroughly assess your home for any shortcomings in your insect-defense system, from sealing up unseen openings leading inside to implementing integrated pest management all year round to keep insects from ever even getting a chance of disturbing your winter.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to autumn insects and greet the chilly season with pest problems behind you, our pest management specialists at JP Pest Control can help make it happen. Get in touch and let’s bug-proof your house for this fall and beyond - because autumn nights and insects simply shouldn’t mix.
