These days, your home is one of your biggest assets. The average home sale price in the US hovers around $290,000 and goes much higher in competitive markets.
So, the influx of pests at any time becomes a major concern. Pests aren’t just a nuisance but can become a problem that causes damage or even reduces your home value. After all, pests like rodents spread disease, build nests, and even damage wiring by chewing on it.
That means you need a preventative pest control strategy in place. If you’re looking for ways to keep your home pest-free, keep reading for five pest control tips that will help you prevent bug infestation.
1. Put Food Away
Everyone has done it at some point. We leave a half-eaten sandwich sitting out somewhere, or drop a mostly empty bag of chips on the coffee table. Doing this every once in a while isn’t a problem. If you make it a habit, though, it can attract pests of all kinds.
Even crumbs can attract insects and rodents. Always put your food away in sealed containers and wipe down your counters.
2. Seal It Up
Every home has a few cracks or gaps. Maybe that bedroom window has never been right and always lets a draft in the room. Maybe the house settled and there’s a gap around one of the doors.
If air can get in, so can pests. Make a point to seal any cracks or gaps you find with some silicone caulk or expanding foam. It will help repel bugs.
3. Mind the Trash
Trash containers, especially outside containers near your home, need a tight lid. Most pests will look for easy sources of food. A tight lid makes it more difficult for pests to get at the trash inside.
4. Limit Moisture
Moisture attracts pests of all stripes. Use dehumidifiers in damp parts of your home, such as the basement. If practical, you can even install a sump pump to help control basement moisture.
Also, keep an eye out for leaking pipes. Not only will create damp spots, but they can even damage your home.
5. Get Professional Help
While the above tips will help as a general pest control strategy, you may still see signs of pest infestation. If that happens or you want to avoid it, you’ll want the help of the best local pest control service you can find. They’ll know what pests are the worst local problem and how best to deal with them.
Preventative Pest Control and You
With home values so high in recent years, adopting a preventative prest control strategy makes sense. It’s a way that you can protect a valuable asset. Even better, there are a lot of things you can do yourself.
Putting food away, sealing cracks, and getting trash containers with tight lids all help. Moisture control doesn’t hurt either. When in doubt, you can call in professional help.
Looking for more home improvement tips? Check out some of the Home & Garden posts in our Lifestyle section.
