If you own a home, you know firsthand how extreme the bugs can get, especially in the warmer months. While it’s okay if they keep zipping around, sometimes they will enter your home. Follow these steps to keep unwanted bugs out of your home so you can enjoy living there!
Seal Up Exterior Walls
According to a recent study, people are most worried about ants in their homes. Spiders and roaches follow closely behind on the list. In warm places, you can be sure you’ll see at least one of these pests almost daily. However, if you get the right exterior treatments performed by a professional, you can ensure those sightings only happen when you’re outside.
Seal And Treat Around the Foundation
After you’re done treating the exterior walls, or before, whichever way works best for you, you also need to seal up around the foundation. Cracks in the foundation are a favorite place for bugs to enter the home, especially ants. You can use a simple caulk or cement sealer to fill these small crevices and keep the critters from entering.
Additionally, spray around the foundation with an effective pesticide after properly sealing the cracks and crevices. Free spinning nozzles are often preferred to first clean the area and then apply treatment because they work best with a low pressure of 40 to 60 PSI.
Be Cautious When Entering
Cockroach eggs, ants, and other bugs love to travel into your home on your person or objects that make their way into your home. This is especially true with juveniles that are super active outdoors. A juvenile in Texas is described as someone between the ages of 10 and 17, so if you have children that age in your home, be vigilant of what they’re bringing inside.
On top of that, make sure you carefully check boxes and the bottoms of shoes before entering a home. These are the perfect places for bugs to hitch a ride and enter your home. If you see eggs, you could be dealing with a roach infestation if the eggs hatch. It’s crucial to always stay aware of the dangers of pests coming into your home, as they can get out of hand quickly.
Keep Food Closed Up Properly
Most bugs will come into your home because they’re looking for food. If you have kids, even the tiniest crumbs left behind will attract these unwanted guests. You have to be sure to keep areas clean of food at all times. Ensure your fridge, freezer, cupboards, and pantry are adequately sealed. It only takes the slightest little opening for a bug to enter, and when they find a food source, it’s even harder to get rid of them.
Keep Shrubs And Bushes Well Trimmed
If your foliage is overgrown, this gives bugs another place to nest and wait for their moment to enter your home. Instead, make sure that you’re getting regular landscaping services or, at minimum, handle the task yourself. Not only will it help to deter pests, but it also gives your property an enhanced curb appeal!
Check Entry Points
Regularly check the windows, doors, and other entry points around your property to ensure everything is sealed properly. If there are holes in screens or weather stripping sections missing, that gives an entry point for those pesky critters. If they find it and think there’s something inside your home they want, they’re coming in.
The most important thing you can do to keep bugs out of your home is preventative maintenance. After they are already in, it’s harder to get them back out. Take these steps to keep bugs out from the start and live a pest-free life sooner. You don’t have to make everything happen at once, but the faster you accomplish these tasks, the sooner you’ll get rid of any unwanted insects!
