Rodents and Creepy Crawlers: How to Protect Your Home from Pests

Rodents and bugs are pests no one wants in their home. You may be inviting vermin into your home without realizing it. From putting out food for them to actually carrying them into the house, many people accidentally cause pest infestations in their homes mostly by their own negligence and without their knowledge. You can protect your home from pests with the following common sense tips.

Beware of Cardboard Boxes and Paper Bags

Shopping at yard sales and thrift stores is fun and helps you save money, but think twice before bringing dirty cardboard boxes into your home. A cardboard box full of yard sale treasures can also contain cockroach eggs and silverfish. Take your own bags when you go to a yard sale or thrift store and carefully examine old books, used toys and items made of fabric. Don’t buy items that have insect damage or have been kept in backyard storage buildings.

Even clean paper bags can harbor insects or their eggs. If you don’t want plastic bags at the grocery store, take your own reusable bags. If a neighbor gives you items in a box or bag, transfer them to your own container to carry them into the house.

Bring Pet Food Inside at Night

Feed your outside pets at the same time every evening, and then bring their uneaten food in until morning. Leaving dishes of dog or cat food on your porch or steps is like setting out a buffet for opossums, raccoons, rats and even roaches. Opossums and raccoons can carry rabies. They may also fight and injure dogs and cats. You could also put your pet food in a sealed bin to help keep the pests out. Mice and rats also love dog food. They can often find a way to get to the food no matter where you put it.

Keeping the food sealed inside will help keep them out of your pet’s food and hopefully thwarts their desire to enter your home. Roaches can slip right under your door after they crawl over your pet’s food dish. If you have a backyard rat infestation, an exterminating company like A-Alert Exterminating Service Inc. can help.

Pets should always have water. Since all types of pests are always in search of water, keep the water bowls away from your door to reduce the chance of insects getting inside.

Close the Flue

Many people don’t use their fireplace but don’t think of closing the flue. Squirrels, raccoons and bats can find their way into your home via an open chimney. Wildlife in the house is scary and dangerous and should be dealt with by a professional. Make sure the flue is closed when your fireplace isn’t in use, and have your chimney cleaned yearly. Having a yearly cleaning will help keep pests out and it will give you an indication if there are any pests that have been trying to enter your home.

Following these suggestions will help you keep vermin out of your home and yard. If you think you may have accidentally let pests in, it’s best to call an exterminator for an inspection.