As you crank up the heater this winter, you could be inviting some unwanted guests into your cozy home. These pests could take advantage of your heat and cause more serious problems in your house. Follow these quick tips from BugMaster to prevent these pests from invading your home this winter.
House Mice
House mice are the most commonly-encountered rodents and can cause serious damage by chewing drywall and wires. They can also contaminate food and spread diseases!
Quick tip: Check dark, quiet areas (like attics or basements) for house mice. Keep these areas clear of clutter that house mice use as their cozy homes.
Norway Rats
Norway rats are notorious for gnawing through anything and everything, even lead pipes, to find food and water. Like their house mice friends, Norway rats nuzzle into piles of debris in quiet basements and attics.
Quick tip: Inspect the exterior of your home for openings as small as a quarter. Norway rats can invade your home through even this small of an opening.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny insects that survive by eating the blood of humans and animals. You can find bedbugs in clothing, luggage, airplanes, sofas, and of course, beds.
Quick tip: There are not many effective DIY methods to remove bedbugs. But, to prevent them, be sure to inspect beds and furniture for signs of these pests, including live or dead bugs and drops of dried blood.
Spiders
With the possibility of over 350 species of spiders in any one region of the country, there’s a high chance that some spiders will find their way into your home. Most spiders are harmless to humans, but they are a nuisance if one surprises you in the kitchen or bathroom!
Quick tip: Cut tree limbs and shrubbery so that they are not hanging over or close to your house. This will reduce the chances of spiders finding a way inside.
Firewood Pests
Along with the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace comes the possibility of ants and termites that nestle in firewood and can cause extensive damage to your home.
Quick tip: Do not store firewood inside. Rather, keep it outside and away from your home. When you bring in the firewood, burn it immediately in order to reduce the risk of pests crawling into other areas of your home.
If you have some unwanted guests that you can’t kick out with these quick tips, call Bug Guardian Pest Prevention to help you show them the door! During these chilly months, you’ll want to keep the warmth inside the house and the pests outside — where they belong.