The best way to avoid an infiltration of pests is to act before they penetrate. There are some things you can do to protect your home from unwanted invaders.
- Don’t feed the birds. Seeds attract animals and insects.
- Keep mulch a good distance from your foundation. Mulch makes a good home for pests and also keeps in moisture, another attraction for pests.
- Check your house for any wet spots. Inspect around windows, under sinks, in the attic, around the flashing of holes in your roof, and in your cellar. Act soon to pull out damp wood and insulation and reseal and protect.
Try inexpensive home remedies to combat a pest problem.
- For ants, put down corn meal. This will not hurt pets or children and is picked up by ants, taken to their nest, eaten, and then kills the ants at their origin.
- For varmints that tend to settle in in colder weather, stuff around all holes and in chinks with steel wool. If you don’t think you have all the holes, sprinkle flour around the perimeter of your house in the fall and watch for tracks that will lead you to the spot of infiltration.
Finally, if all else fails and you need professional help and chemicals, first call your local Extension Agency for help and how-to advice. If you can’t do the work yourself, hire professions like Orkin, but ask for two or three estimates and look at guarantees before you contract.