Rodents, bugs and other pests can be a serious problem with any home. That’s why relocation specialists like moving companies Upper West Side might recommend you pest-proof your home. After all, prevention is the best option here. Blocking the way pests enter your home will save you the serious trouble of eradicating them once they establish a foothold. Therefore it is very valuable that you learn how to pest-proof your home. To help you with just that endeavor, we’ve created this article. In it, you will find a treasure trove of information that will help you keep unwanted visitors out of your home.
When to pest-proof your home
As with so many things related to a home, planning takes a front seat when you decide to pest-proof your home. In general, you will have to make a thorough plan to cover all the possible routes of entry for pests into your home. While both come with their own challenges, no matter if you decided to invest in a house or an apartment the same basic principles will apply. Most importantly, you will want to pest-proof your home with as little obstacles in the way. Therefore, doing this during the move, before your stuff gets unpacked might be a good idea.
Apart from having extra space with all your items still neatly packed or tucked in a storage facility, you will also be able to easier spot cracks and holes in your home that the pests might use to enter. It will also be easier to perform any modifications to your home if you do it while your items are not in the way. So, if you intend to pest-proof your home, it might be best done before, during or right after the move. The same principle applies to your new garden as well. Inspect your new plants and clear out any pests before you complete moving your home garden from your old home. Otherwise, the already existing pest may destroy the plants you painstakingly moved.
How to pest proof your home
Now that we talked about the ideal time to pest-proof your home, it’s time to talk about how to actually do it. With pests being so small and able to exploit the smallest of cracks, you will need to be vigilant. This brings us to our first step.
Inspect your home
The first step you have to take to pest-proof your home is to check it out in detail. As we mentioned above, this is best done with as little items in the way. An ideal time would be when your belongings are safely deposited in a storage facility. Services like Manhattan storage units intended to help you with your move will, therefore, play a huge role if you decide to pest-proof your home. If you have already moved, you can always move your items to the middle of the room. This will clear up space for a detailed inspection.
Start on the outside of your home and look for any holes and other entry points. Also, take note of utility openings such as pipe and cable openings. This will probably need to be additionally sealed and provide a great entry point into your home. Finally, take note of ducts, vents, and cracks. On the inside, have a detailed inspection of all walls. Pay special attention to doors and door corners. Make sure you move your washing machine and other similar items that don’t get moved often and check behind them. While inspecting your home, pay special attention to where the pests might be coming from. You might have a nest on your hand. In that case, a pest control service might be your best bet. After all, with all the diseases pests may carry, one should not take any nest lightly!
Pest-proof your home by sealing the cracks
After inspecting your home, you should deal with any cracks you might have bumped into. In general, any opening larger than a quarter of an inch will have to be taken care of. As we mentioned before, you should pay special attention to outside entry points such as pipes and cables entering the home. You can fill these out with cement, expanding foam or use a wire mesh. Next, it’s time to treat the cracks. Dis can develop on walls or around doors or windows. For treating these, you should go with caulk. Having a good caulk gun to seal up all of the possible entry points
Treat your doors to pest-proof your home
Another way in for pests into your home is through the door! Even if the seal around the doors is good, they still may be exploiting gaps in your doors. This goes double for exterior doors! So, in order to pest-proof your home, you will want to install sweeps or thresholds to your door bases. These can come in many forms. They can be rubber seals, plastic sweeps or you might even use caulk. A good way to detect these is to lay on the floor in front of the door while it’s closed. Then check for any light coming through the bottom.
Additional concerns
Apart from these tips that apply to any kind of home, there are certain specific concerns you may need to pay attention to. After all, in order to pest-proof your home, you will need to be as vigilant as possible. House owners will be well advised to check their basements and attics. These provide excellent breeding grounds for pests. Apartment owners will be well advised to check and reinforce any air duct vents. Both of these groups should also check their pantry for loosely secured food items, which can draw in further pests.
Pest-proof your home like a pro!
And there you have it. Having read through our article, you should be ready to pest-proof your home like a pro. As we mentioned before, prevention is your best option here. Already having a pest infection makes it much harder to combat. However, follow the steps outlined in this guide and your home should be safe from any unwanted guests!
