How to Control Pests at Your Home

Pests are a nuisance. They can destroy your property and compromise your health. It can be difficult to control bed bugs, cockroaches, rodents, and more. Don’t wait for your home to become infested. Take preventive actions to avoid pest infestation, and call professional pest control if you’re already having a hard time.

There are products that you can use, such as the Everpest ultrasonic repellers. These devices use ultrasonic, electronic, and bionic pulses to create an unfavorable environment for pests to thrive.

10 Effective Pest Control Tips for Homeowners

For more knowledge on how to control pests in your house, here are 10 practical tips compiled for you:

1. Store Food in Sealed Containers

Food leftovers can attract pests, especially ants and flies. If there is any uneaten food, put them in a tightly sealed container to avoid releasing an inviting smell to pests. Glass containers are a good choice because they are sturdy, easy to clean, and tight. Then, store the container in the refrigerator to prevent spoiling the food, which can cause molds that can also serve as a home for pests.

2. Seal Any Cracks and Gaps in the House

Holes and cracks are places pests can hide and lay their eggs. Inspect the house for gaps and broken parts, especially wooden doors and cabinets where termites, ants, and other pests can thrive. Seal these places where you can use spackling or any wall joint compound. Insects and rodents can fit in holes and gaps the size of a pinhead, so you’ll really need to ensure that all gaps are sealed according to Donnie Shelton from Triangle Pest Control.

3. Have Screens Installed

Door and window screens act as barriers to protect the house from pests. Look for the mesh size so that most pests won’t be able to fit through and come into the house. The commonly used measure for screens is 1.2 millimeters by 1.2 millimeters. But you still need to check your installed screen from time to time for any tears to have complete protection from pests invading your home.

4. Trim Plants Near Your House

Plants in your backyards or near your house are also food for pests such as rodents and ants. It’s best to plant at a distance from the house to avoid pests getting too close to your home. You can also cut out plants near windows and roofs to prevent bridges for ants inside the house.

5. Eliminate Stagnant Water

Standing water provides a place for pests to thrive, especially mosquitoes. The stagnant water is where mosquitoes hatch their eggs and about 100 eggs are laid by each mosquito. Letting water sit with these pests’ eggs will have your house swarming with them in no time, which is a hazard to you and your family’s health. Especially for mosquitoes. There are many mosquito-borne diseases for humans, like the Zika virus and malaria.

You need to be careful and remove any source of standing water. Always fix leakages in the house pipes to avoid accumulating water in one place as well.

6. Have Proper Waste Disposal

Segregation of trash is necessary, don’t mix biodegradable with non-biodegradable. Most of the time, biodegradable waste attracts pests the most, so you need to close off the trash bin tight to avoid the odor from spreading and inviting flies and other pests.

You also need to remember that you should not throw meat scraps immediately outside unless the trash is picked up immediately. Rotting meat will attract many unwanted pests such as ants, flies, rodents, and even worms. So, until the garbage collector gets there, store the leftover meat in a cold place to postpone its rotting.

7. Keep Woods Away

Termites are a huge problem if they enter your house since they can damage the wood structures inside, including windows and doors, and further damage furniture. It’s best to keep any outside source of woods from entering your home. If you have a fireplace, store the woods at a distance from your home. Also, clean your backyards to avoid any falling branches to get near the entrances of the house.

8. Always Keep Your House Clean

Crumbs and other debris that are not cleaned will invite insects. Thus, it is essential to regularly clean the house, making sure that there is no place a pest can thrive. Clear out the kitchen sink drains from food residues. Then, vacuum the house floor for any debris that fell from eating or you’ve brought from outside.

9. Choose Your Light Properly

Bright lights – mercury vapor, white incandescent, and fluorescent attract insects the most. So, it’s good to avoid these types of lights and choose those that are not attractive to insects, such as yellowish lights known as sodium vapor, halogen, and dichroic yellow lights.

10. Ask For Professional Help

If you can’t handle the situation, hire a pest control service to inspect and recommend solutions for the specific pests present in your house. The professional pest control in Greenville, SC, can help with identifying and eliminating your pest problems. These experts have the knowledge and experience to get rid of the pests in your area. They can schedule spray for termites, rodents, bugs, or any other pests, depending on the infestation in your home.

Conclusion

Keep insects and pests away from your home by making sure your house is clean and have no way to invite pests over. Preventive measures will help you save money for fixing damages that pests can do to your house if they are left unchecked.