While Florida is known for its subtropical climate, temperatures still drop during the fall and winter months, which is why we spend more time indoors during those seasons. While you and your family seek shelter from the cold in your home, various pests are doing the exact same thing. During winter and fall, you might receive a visit from some unwanted guests, so make sure you are fully prepared to defend your home against this invasion.
When the temperatures drop, crawling insects and pests will leave their hideouts and look for better shelter. Wasps, spiders, cockroaches, rats, and mice can make their way into your house and make themselves at home. Unfortunately, pests can cause immense damage. Not only will they leave droppings wherever they go, but they can also chew through your wooden beams, destroy your insulation and even compromise the stability of your home. Since pests need only tiny openings to enter your home, you need to pay attention even to the smallest details. Here are the best ways to protect your home against pest invasion in the fall and winter.
1. Seal Your Home
As mentioned, pests can squeeze even through the smallest openings and get into your home looking for food. Therefore, you need to make sure that all of your doors and windows are completely weatherproof. If you have any cracks around the edges, seal them as soon as possible, along with any exterior-opening gaps. Make sure there aren’t any ledges that can become entryways for large pests or rodents. In addition, go to your kitchen and bathroom and caulk any cracks around your fixtures. Don’t ignore any openings or insects will be able to enter your home and access your food and water.
2. Fortify Your Exterior Defense
Although you should make sure that pests cannot invade your home, you should also try to keep them away from the perimeter as far as possible. Luckily, there are so many strong pesticides you can use for this purpose. Spray the pesticide around your home and entryways. In addition, trim your trees and plants, and do not keep flower beds next to your home. The closest plant should be at least 12 inches from your house. Also, remove fallen leaves since various insects can use them for cover. If you wish, you can also place baits on your property, but not near your entryways.
To keep pests out of your bathroom or kitchen, use products designed for that. Especially pay attention to cracks and crevices. Make sure you don’t leave leftovers or any kind of food on the counters. Also, make sure there aren’t any crumbs on your floors. Sweep them regularly, wipe your counters, and keep your food in sealed containers in your pantry or store it in your fridge. This will make your kitchen far less tempting to pests, and you won’t provide them with the food and water they need to survive.
3. Stop Encouraging Pests
While cooler outside temperatures are forcing pests to try to infiltrate your home, they are also being encouraged by a number of other factors. You might have some habits that are attracting pests. For example, do you store firewood near your home? If so, you are attracting wood-boring pests. Naturally, once on your property, they won’t stop at the firewood, and will instead find their way into your home.
You want to do everything you can to keep your home off of the pests’ radar. That is why you should also remove any piles of old papers you have on your property as they could be both shelter and food for insects and rodents. If you have trash bins next to your garage, find a new place for them. One half-empty can of soda or some oily leftovers can be a feast for ants. When they discover that your home is a great food source, they will leave a trail that will also attract other ants and you will have a pest infestation on your hands. Keep your home as clean as possible and you will make it much less attractive to pests.
4. Identify Hotspots
Hotspots are areas that provide all the conditions pests need to survive. Usually, these are warm, dark places with some kind of food source. Pests will try to get into those areas and stay there. Pay special attention to utility rooms, dumpsters, storage rooms, and trash cans.
5. Improve Indoor Cleaning and Sanitation
Pests don’t come to your home because you are a good host or because they like the way you decorated your home. They come to your place looking for food and water, so it is your task to make their mission almost impossible. Crumbs, spills, and residue in drains can attract them. Clean up your dining table after every meal and dispose of leftovers properly. After you have cleaned everything, make sure that your garbage can is completely closed. Regularly use organic cleaners to get rid of residue or grime and keep your trash-handling areas free of clutter.
6. Seal the Crawl Space
If instead of a concrete slab your home has a crawl space, you should consider sealing it. Otherwise, pests will use vents and other entry points to get into your crawl space, and eventually, you will find them in your living area. To properly seal your crawl space, use encapsulation. Contact your local crawl space repair experts in Florida and have them install a heavy-duty 20-mil plastic vapor barrier that covers the walls and floor.
If you wish to fix your crawl space and prepare it for the winter season, contact Alpha Foundations and schedule a free crawl space repair inspection and quote.
