Everyone wants a pest-free home. You’d be surprised how many decisions you make around the home every day that may lead to an unwanted pest infestation! Tasks that might seem like everyday necessities may actually be attracting pests. Many problems that are easy to overlook can also encourage an infestation. Here are four ways you can discourage visits from unwanted pests.
Be Careful How You Feed Your Pets
We all love our pets. We don’t want them to go hungry, but on busy days it is very tempting to just leave out pet food. Your furry children can then eat at their leisure. This his may actually be ringing the dinner bell for pests.
Ants and mice are notorious for being opportunistic and preying on uncovered pet food. Outdoor wild animal feeders for birds and squirrels may also attract the wrong kind of attention. For pets, it may be best to only have supervised feeding times and keep food covered or secured at all other times.
Be Mindful of Moisture
Moisture is easily overlooked by the Arizona homeowner, but the arid climate actually does its part to drive pests into your home. When seeking a survivable habitat, pests will always be attracted to an environment that meets their needs. All creatures need a water source of some kind, and for many tiny pests, any amount of moisture may do.
Keeping basements, garages, and crawl spaces dry will go a long way toward discouraging infestations. Inspecting and repairing potential sources of moisture such as leaky pipes should be an annual task at a minimum.
Take Care of the Great Outdoors
Trees and shrubs that are too close to your foundations, exterior windows, vents, or gutters may be an avenue through which pests such as rats or termites can easily access your home. A minimum distance of at least an arm’s length between your house and outdoor plants can make it tougher on hitchhiking pests to use your branches as a freeway. Regularly pruning and shaping nearby bushes can also help to keep your home pest free.
Seal Cracks
Whether your home is relatively new or a more seasoned structure, you may be surprised how many cracks you can find during a casual inspection. The heat of Arizona can be tough on your home. Cracks from extreme heat can damage and crack weather stripping, screens, molding, and even siding. Cracks are an open door to destructive pests.
These cracks may be easily repaired with a little bit of caulk or a glue gun. This small amount of labor can do more to keep your home secure from infestations than nearly any other maintenance task.
University Termite and Pest Control
Did you find these tips helpful? The professionals at University Termite and Pest Control are here to help when you need us. Contact us for a consultation.
