Four Ways To Keep Wintertime Pests Away From Your Home

While many pests effectively disappear during the colder months of the year, winter brings with it its own kind of pest problems. Taking a few preventative measures with the help of a specialist will help keep wintertime pests outside and away from your home.

Clear the Perimeter

Many pests look for shelter wherever they can find it in winter, and if you have objects near your house like piles of wood, garbage bins, or gardening equipment, these may be just what pests are looking for. When pests get close enough to your home, they might decide to make the rest of the trip inside, too.

The best way to deter pests like this is by removing as much as you can from the immediate perimeter of your house. Try not to have anything leaning up against the side of it, and if you need to keep any piles like firewood, move them away from your walls and walkways. Remember also that anything leaning against your house can provide a bridge that lets pests get around any perimeter treatments used by pest specialists; the fewer avenues around pesticides, the better.

Add Screens to Vents, Foundation, and Chimneys

Metal screens and meshes can lock out many kinds of rodents that might otherwise look to gain easy entry into your house via vents and chimneys. You can use screens with small gaps over any plumbing vents and chimneys, though you may need to use screens with larger gaps over any drains, as debris can collect on the screens and cause clogs.

If you're thinking about repairing or adding mesh to foundation vents, be aware that there are often regulations as to how large the vents should be and what size mesh you should use.

Have Your Air Ducts Inspected

Air ducts are another avenue pests can use to get into your house. This is especially the case with older air ducts, which are more likely to have gaps and holes. Sealing up your ducts will not only keep pests from using them as a highway through your house, but it will make your heater more energy efficient as it runs all winter, too.

Get a Thorough Inspection

While you're taking preventative measures, it helps to get a thorough inspection of your whole home. A pest specialist in your area will be aware of what kind of pests to look out for and any signs of their presence. They can also take a look around your house and make suggestions on what other steps you can take to keep them out. If there are already any pests in your home, it's important to get rid of them as quickly as possible before they cause damage and start to spread. 

For more information about pest control services, contact a local company.