Not only does Spring time herald greater property market activity, it also signals an increase in insect activity in our homes!
It is crucial to take steps to keep insect activity under control as part of the yearly maintenance of your home. We know how the months turn into years and if left unattended to and kept unchecked, there is potential for your home to be infested by unwanted pests such as roaches, spiders, rodents and termites.
Pests also bring with them the risk of allergies, asthma attacks and various health conditions from a build-up of their droppings or spread mould from them crawling around and leaving a trail of mould to grow in the house.
Here are 10 tips to get rid of pests and to reduce the chances of them invading and infesting your home:
1. Clean up your homeThis may sound obvious, but clutter and mess are a prime target for pests and rodents. The kitchen and pantry areas, especially the pantry and floors, should be kept clean and free or crumbs and lingering food scents which tend to attract insects and bugs. By eliminating their food source, you are making it less attractive for them to make your home their home. It also helps to clean floors and sweep around the house regularly. Remember sweeping is a great workout for your abs and it saves water compared to hosing.
2. Seal gaps and openings
Look out for small, unsealed gaps in your house. This might be where the wires and pipes
enter your house. These are the opportunities for pests to invade your building. You can
simply buy items to caulk them closed, plug holes with copper mesh or use expanding foam insulation to deny entry to pests. Also, keep weather stripping in working order and repair them immediately if they are worn.
3. Install window and door screens
Which are barriers to protect against summer pests. Repair screens that are damaged to
ensure they are in proper working order.
4. Check your crawl spaces
Get under your home and in the space between your ceiling and roof! Take a torch light and look out for nests, cockroaches or ants. Find out how they entered your home, remove the pests and eliminate the entry pathway by filling in the gap (see point 2).
5. Gardening!
Trim plants which have branches that lean against your house. This eliminates and entry
path to your home. Avoid stacking firewood next to the house as ants like nesting in firewood.
6. Maintain regular drainage channels
Gutters and drains should be clear and in working order. Remove pooled water to reduce
mosquitos breeding nearby.
7. Removing clutter
Get rid of clutter in your home, steam clean carpets and change your bed linen regularly.
Check seasonal clothing for pests that may have made it their home during storage, wash
them before wearing them again. Heed Marie Kondo’s famous advise and keep only those things that give you joy!
8. Guard your chimney
With a chimney cap and screen to keep out rodents, birds, possums. But make sure you
remove it on Christmas eve so Santa can pay a visit!
9. Store rubbish properly
Keep food scraps in the kitchen, in a can with a lid and empty the garbage every night! Don’t forget to sanitize these rubbish bins regularly.
10. Schedule your annual pest control for the same month every year
Pest inspectors can undertake a toxic free treatment of your property and can also identify the risk of pests infesting your home and recommend new ways of keeping your home pest free.
Likewise, before buying a house, it is crucial to conduct due diligence on the property which includes a pest inspection. Do not save on pennies only to end up having to part with with lots of cash to fix a problem that you could have avoided simply by calling in the pest inspectors.
Where to find pest inspectors? A quick google search of pest control services in your area will no doubt result in a few to select from. We also suggest checking out the company’s reviews on google and ensure you use a reputable pest control company.