We may pull in revenue from the products available on this varlet and participate in affiliate program . Learn More ›
Stop Paying for Pests
istockphoto.com
Pests and people are pull in to the same thing : an light meal , a commodious water source , and a intimate place to raise a folk . All too often they line up these thing inside our home . Delayed fixture and misfortunate sustainment cursorily become an undefendable invitation for bugs and rodents to enter .
Once inside , it only takes a lilliputian food and water to convince them to stay , and insects alone cause more than $ 5 billion in damages annually in the United States . Avoid the disbursal and hassle of apportion with pest damage by prevent it in the first home .
Wet Basement
A leaky basement is more than an incommodiousness . Pooling water attracts all kinds of pests , include insect , rodents , snake and other unwanted creatures . weewee in the cellar also increase humidity that can direct to dangerous structural damage triggered by termites and fungus .
To keep your basement dry , check the scoring and downspouts around your house to make trusted that rain is draining aside from , not toward , the foundation . Be sure to address other potential sources of leaks — including windows andsump pumps — as problems move up .
Clogged Rain Gutters
Clogged rain gutters take into account wet to build up up closely to the roof line . In addition to structural problem , constipate gutter allow a piddle root for insects and snakes to multiply .
Keep bugs and other creatures from congregating in your trough by clean them out in the spring ( and after leaf pearl in the fall ) . Installinggutter guardsmight also help .
High Humidity
nettlesome insects like cockroaches andsilverfishlove humid place . Leaky pipes , slow drains and even poorly vented bathroom are idealistic conditions for them . savoir-faire repairs to these job areas quickly ( and while you ’re at it , conceive run adehumidifierin these zone ) , or you may have some creepy crawlies to contend with .
Trash and Recyclables
It ’s no secret that thefood scrapsintrash cansattract bugs and rodents . Avoid infestations by right bagging and sealing garbage and stack away it in closed containers . Be sure to rinse out recyclables and the recycle bin itself , and regard upgrading from an undetermined - top curbside recycling container to a container with a lid .
Poorly Maintained Landscaping
marvellous grass and overgrownshrubsgive cover version to rodents , insect , and other creature that would not be welcome inside the house . While these fauna are gratuitous to drift in their own sphere , you may keep them out of the planetary house by practicingregular lawn sustainment , and not plant shrub and Tree right up against the house .
Dirty Grill
out-of-door cookery and dining pull in pismire , flies , andwasps , but the grease and residuary food left on the grill after a cookout can bring even more pests , including mouse and rats . When the picnic is over , do n’t leave to clean the out-of-door preparation arena .
Dirty Dishes
Any fiddling food scrap is an invitation for microbe and rodent , and soiled dishes are a veritable buffet bar for all form of blighter . Keep your kitchen vindicated of insects and rodents by washing dishes after every meal . Wipe down rejoinder , stovetops , andsinkswhile you ’re at it .
Composting
Composting is a fantastic way to reuse food waste into an excellent garden ground amendment , butcompost pilesattract hungry worm and rodents . annul problem by using an inclose composting system , and locate outdoor compost piles at least 50 foot from the house . counterbalance food bit with garden waste like fall leaves and weed clippings to forbid a smelly flock , and never compost meat , dairy farm , and fat food .
Countertop Produce
Some produce keeps better when it ’s not refrigerate , but the bad news is that hive away ripening fruit on the counterpunch can lurefruit flies . To shrink the risk of fly sheet , do n’t let fruit sit too long before eating it and dispose of scraps and Sir Robert Peel after each meal . If you ca n’t manage to eat your smart green goods before it gets overripe , consider freezing it for use insmoothiesor scorched goods .
Gaps In Siding
A mouse only need a 1/4 - in opening to get inside your home . Holes in your turnout or gaps under the doorway are easygoing ingress point . scrutinise the sidingon your house at least twice a yr , paying close attending to seams , clean-cut , and transitions from side to masonry . Plug gaps withsilicone caulk , steel woolen , orexpandable foamsealant .
Roof Damage
Your attic is a great place to raise a crime syndicate — just demand your neighborhoodsquirrels , bats , and computer mouse . brute are attracted to the affectionateness and auspices that our houses leave . How do they get in ? Possible unveiling point include hollow or missing boards on the dashboard or soffit , gaps between the fascia and eaves , gable or ridge vents without screen , and missingshingles . The respectable path to keep animals outside is to inspect these country annually , andkeep your cap in good haunt .
Worn or Missing Door Sweeps
amazon.com
Door sweeps do more than just keep open onutility bills : These little landing strip , which DIYers can well attach to the bottom of their front , side , and rear entry threshold , also keep out bugs and other pest . Replace absent or worn threshold sweeps to rule out a pest entry point .
Window Screens
Window screenswere forge to keep bugs out of the family , but if they have holes , they ca n’t do their job . Inspect all menage window screen each year , andrepair or replacethem as want .
Indoor-Outdoor Pets
Dogs and cats may be protected against flea and ticks with preventative medicinal drug or collars , but that does n’t mean they wo n’t convey bug into the house . Whether astink bughitches a ride on their fur , or they bestow in liverodentson purpose , pets can be adorable instigators to a pest problem . supervise your pets ’ approaching and passing , and inspect them when they come inside to finish unwelcome guests at the door .
Porch and Landscape Lights
A traditionalporch lightleft on for an hour after dusk attracts thousands of insects of all kinds — and if a threshold is open beside the light , those bugs may invite themselves into the house . The same adjudge true forlandscape lighting .
Evenbug zappersattract far more insects than they kill . A better solution is to install motion sensitive security unhorse away from the home . The light turn on when needed , and stay off the residual of the metre , potentially keeping trouble and insects out .
Foundation Cracks
Concrete slabs , decant or cylinder block foundations , and even masonry veneers are subject to fracture . Even the smallestcrack in concretecan easily become an entry point for insects into your home , and larger cracks may even allow enough space for rodents to come within . scrutinize Freemasonry annually , and address repair as the need come up .
Open Garage or Basement Doors
We use service department and basements as memory board spaces , workshops , studios , and potting shed , but cuss expend them as a tender and welcome abode . These unwished-for guests often find their way inside when homeowners leavegarage doorsopen for hour at a time . garage and basement make spectacular entrance points for all sorts of animal . Always stuffy garage andbasement doorswhen they do n’t take to be assailable .
Openings for Pipes and Cables
There are lots of small openings in the institution , walls , and roof of every domicile to permit various public-service corporation lines — telephone , cable system , fiber optic , melody conditioning , andgas — to occur through . scrutinize and seal these yap with silicone polymer caulk to excrete entry points for pests .
Uncovered Chimneys
computer mouse , squirrels , racoon , birds and other critters can easily enter the home through achimney , so be certain to shut the damper when it ’s not in use . instal a mesh - coveredchimney jacket , and inspect it each outflow and fall to make certain it ’s in place and intact .
General Clutter
Disorganized messesare unmanageable to keep rubble barren and clean , and they also create concealment places for little creatures . Book and papers piled on an role desk are an invitation for silverfish anddust mites . Random boxes of stuff in an attic or basement invite squirrels , rotter , and other small mammals to nuzzle . Keep document unionise , clear and junk on a regular basis , and purge unused stuff .
Water Damage
Even after you repair a escape , the impact of piss equipment casualty is just beginning . Wet woodanddrywallattract mould and mould , step down the expression material . The cut materials become a food source fortermites , silverfish , and other louse who feast on and create decomposition . Repair water damaged areas immediately after detection to ward off these little undoer .
Firewood
Stackedfirewoodattracts a variety of insects who live in and fertilize on the constitutional matter , and it can even pull rodents . To keep the woodpile dweller out of your home never put in firewood indoors , even for a few hours . It ’s expert tostore firewoodoutdoors , off the primer , and at least 50 feet away from the house .
Bird Seed and Pet Food
best-loved and wild bird food for thought can make rodent plague at the points of intellectual nourishment storage , and feeding . Miceand rats will easily sniff out poorly stored food , run out food , and uneaten food leave in food roll .
To prevent an infestation , salt away pet food and shuttlecock seed in tightly closed containers . Feed pets indoors at regular times — don’t go away food sitting out all day . Remove uneaten food when pets stop eating at mealtime , and clean spill promptly . Feed birdsat least 50 feet away from the house , and drag up spill seed .
Houseplants
Houseplants breathe life into an indoor infinite , but regrettably , they can also appeal a smorgasbord of pestilence . Many houseplant appeal aphid , which may seem like an isolated issue , butaphids , in turn , attractants . That ’s because they produce a sweet substance have sex as honeydew that emmet love .
If you notice emmet around yourhouseplants , an plague of aphids may be the trouble . Eliminate them by spraying the plants with a solution of one dry quart of H2O with a few teaspoons of dish soap , or utilise anatural insecticide .
Cool-Toned Light Bulbs
We know that many bugs are attracted to light , but it turns out that certain hue on the color spectrum are more enticing to them than others . Many insects are only able to see three colors ( ultraviolet , blue , and dark-green ) , which is why they ’re course attracted to nerveless - tone light .
ManyLED light bulbsemit cool , white-hot light , and should be avoided if flying insects are an issue at your home . Opt instead for any fond - toned labeledlight bulb .
Dirty Bedding
Unpleasant as it may be to recall about , every dark while we sleep , we sweat , pass off somatic fluids , and shed small amounts of tegument and hair . These substances make up on our bedding , lead to the growing of bacterium , which in turn attract bugs and pest . To forestall this , it ’s essential to wash bedding regularly . The Sleep Foundationrecommendswashing sheets once per week to forfend a buildup of germs and bacterium .
Cardboard Boxes
It ’s a well - known fact that termites consume wood , but did you know that they ’re also attracted to cardboard ? Like wood , composition board contains cellulose , which attracts white ant . To prevent a termite plague , ward off keepingcardboard boxesin your home farsighted term , especially ones fulfil with food or plant - based textile . rather , opt forplastic storage bins , which keep their content good from pests .
Still Air
Runningfanswhen the weather is warm continue aviation circulating , make the distance more comfortable and reducing zephyr conditioning costs in the process . An unexpected welfare of using fans and air circulators is that they also keep flies at bay . Fliesare pull in to spaces with still aura , so keeping a fan blowing will make your home less hospitable .
Alcohol
Many of us care to complain back with a beer or a glass of wine , but doing so may bring uninvited to your company . Alcoholic beveragescontain bread , realise them unbelievably appeal to a number of different dirt ball . ensure to always cork open wine bottles and forefend leave wine-colored or beer glasses out overnight .
If you make your own wine-coloured or brew your own beer , make certain your workspace is meticulously cleaned and that any trickle or spills are cleaned soon after they occur .
Dirty Drains
Drain fliescan be a major nuisance . Failing to scavenge your drain regularly can attract these plague , since they ’re drawn to the leftover nutrient particles .
It ’s best toclean household drainsevery 2 weeks by decant a mixture of baking pop and acetum into them and then rinse the drain withboiling water . This should earn out and disinfect the sphere , take a crap it much less appealing for drainage rainfly .
This Is the Year for a Kitchen Renovation
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . acquire why we consider this overhaul the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to abide on budget .
