Everyone looks forward to the return of spring and summer and the sunshine, but it’s not all clear skies yet. The warmer weather gives rise to pests that have been snoozing in those long winter months. Luckily, residential pest control is available to curb infestations or prevent them altogether. Here are some pest-deterring tips to keep your home pest free.

Guard Your Home

Reality is that bugs don’t disappear from your house during the winter months. Aside from the seasonal variety, some bugs are hidden until the cold is gone. Add in the natural wear and tear a house goes through and you’re left vulnerable to infestations. Therefore, your first goal should be to identify exposed areas and secure them.

Some steps you can take to remove vulnerabilities include:

• Making sure all cracks and holes are sealed up in order to prevent outdoor bugs and other animals from getting in. Pay special attention to utility pipes and wires as pests tend to gather around them. Additionally, scan your home’s perimeter to fasten its foundational structure.
• Securing leaky pipes and other moisture areas on the interior and exterior of the house.
• Consider installing door sweeps and repairing any broken windows.
• Cleaning your home thoroughly and removing clutter to reduce the risk of bugs roaming about undetected.
• Getting your gardening gear out and clearing away any pathway bugs might have to crawl into your home. Tree branches or shrubs are an easy access point so you might want to keep them trimmed.

Get to know your enemy! Removing known entry points is a start to building a pest-free home; however, you need to know how to identify early signs of a pest invasion to be adequately secure. Spring pests can include ants, wasps, bed bugs/termites, flies, mosquitoes and rodents. While each pest has its own characteristics, there are a few red flags you might want to look out for.

Damaged Clothing

If during your spring closet cleaning sessions, you find unexplained holes in your clothing, you could be dealing with moths, beetles or crickets. You’ll want to start by inspecting nearby objects and throwing away contaminated items. Prevent further damage by thoroughly washing your clothes and dry-cleaning them to eliminate eggs and spores. Lastly, always store clothes in cool, dry areas to prevent insects from getting in your clothes.

Pantry Pests

Foraging pests will ultimately try and enter your kitchen for their all you can eat buffet meals. They might be found lurking in food, on counters, or may simply damage food packages. At this stage, there’s no salvaging the food and it should be thrown out. Airtight food containers are your best bet to store food while you wipe down all counters after each use. You’ll want to get to the source of the problem or contact technicians to ease some of your stress.

Droppings

Although a bit difficult to detect, animal or insect droppings are a clear sign of an invasion. The droppings differ from ordinary dust and debris so they will be somewhat recognizable to knowing eyes. The safest option in this scenario is to allow trained professionals to locate the source and draw out a plan of action for you.

Affected Walls

Cracks and crevices can be both homes and entry points for smaller pests. Even a simple ripple or crack in paint could be a sign of contaminated walls. Before more obvious holes are chewed in by your unfriendly guests, seek out residential pest control services.

The Takeaway

The emergence of pests in springtime can’t be avoided, but you can use preventative measures to deter them. Investing in a little extra care during your spring cleaning can be an investment for the summer days ahead.