No matter what the temperature is, pests are still in search of two things: shelter and food. This means that throughout the year, your home is at risk for any pest to enter and invade. Each season brings different pests to the varying stages of their life cycles. This means that while you can expect mosquitoes in the summer, you wouldn’t expect them in the winter. It’s important to know the seasonal pest patterns for your area so you can make the proper preparations for your home.
Winter is a time for hibernation and survival for many pests and wildlife. The colder weather has most pests looking for shelter. Depending on the pest, they often seek it both outdoors and indoors. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects seek out places in logs or eaves of homes. Overwintering pests like spiders, cockroaches, and rodents tend to look indoors, sometimes in our homes, for a warm place to inhabit. The main key to preventing these pests is to start pest-proofing in the fall!
Springtime brings certain pests out from hibernation and many look to start the mating process. Pests that hibernate during the winter will awaken from a dormant state and emerge. Increased activity begins for pests like termites as their swarming season begins. Likewise, spring rain will drive ants out from their nesting sites in search for higher grounds. It’s important to ensure your home is prepared for these pests throughout the spring. Getting proactive now on your pest proofing will only ensure that these pests stay out of your home. Inspect the exterior and interior of the home for cracks or holes and make sure your yard is clear of standing water.
Backyard pests are out and about during the humid months of summer. While we tend to see fewer summer pests indoors, we do see a larger amount in our yards. Mosquitoes are especially active during these months due to the moisture of the spring and summer rains. Others like bees, wasps, and other stinging pests can be seen too.
Before winter hits, most pests are getting ready to hibernate and prepare for the cold weather during the fall season. In these months, certain pests and wildlife creatures will invade your property in search of shelter for the winter. Fall pests include ladybugs, boxelder bugs, and spiders. These pests are most likely looking for shelter before the colder temperatures hit.
If you feel your home is nesting unwanted pests or would like to ensure they don’t enter your home, call your local pest control company who can provide you with a home inspection, prevention plan, and treatment plan.
Unfortunately, we haven’t quite gotten over the cold weather yet. Lower temperatures means there are plenty of pests and wildlife creatures looking for warmth inside your home. Common wildlife, such as rodents, can be a major nuisance during the colder seasons. If found inside, these pests can damage electrical wires, insulation, and even spread disease. Identifying the type of rodents that have entered your home is the first step in the wildlife exclusion process.
Norway Rats
Norway rats are known as one of the largest species of rats, measuring about 10 inches in body length. These rats have thicker bodies with fur that’s usually brown with black shading. In addition to having a pale color underneath their tails, the tail itself is shorter in length when compared to their bodies. Norway rats, if desperate enough, will eat just about any food source they can find, although they prefer to eat meat. If they find food in a particular place, they will continue to return to that same spot. This can make baiting and removing them easier. These rodents make their habitats in burrows but can also be found throughout buildings and in sewer systems.
Roof Rats
Roof rats have gray fur with black shading and smooth coats. They are about 8 inches long with slender bodies. They have darker tails than Norway rats and they are usually hairless and scaly. These rodents are extremely agile and are skilled climbers. They often prefer higher levels of buildings or homes, hence their name “roof rat.” While they prefer to eat fruit, roof rats will eat any available food source they can find. Unlike the Norway rat, the roof rat will not go back to the same location for food, making them much harder to bait.
Prevention is the key to making sure these rodents don’t enter your home. Use these rodent prevention tips throughout your home to ensure these creatures stay out.
Repair any roof damage such as broken tiles or gaps under the eaves.
Seal around utility pipes with steel wool and use either caulk or concrete.
Declutter any areas where rats may hide out, including your garages, attics, gardens, storage sheds, and even warehouses.
Apply weather stripping to your doors and windows throughout your house.
To most homeowners, cockroaches are all the same. They can sneak into homes, contaminate food, and be a nuisance to your entire household. While we tend to lump all cockroaches into one category, it’s essential to recognize that there are many different species of roaches around the world. Cockroach control methods depend on which species you are dealing with. Two popular roaches in southeastern states that get easily confused with one another are the Oriental cockroach and the American cockroach.
The oriental cockroach is a common species in the South. With a glossy body and cherry to black coloring, these roaches measure 1 to 1.25 inches in length. While they can cohabitate with American roaches, they usually prefer the outdoors rather than the indoors. Oriental roaches cannot live without water for more than two weeks, which means they are on a constant search for both a water and a food source. They often feed on decaying organic matter, starchy foods, and garbage.
The American cockroach is quite a common species, especially in the state of Georgia. These roaches are chestnut to light brown color with a light-yellow band around the back of their head. Adults can get up to 2 inches in length and can live up to two years! Like the oriental cockroach, American roaches are in constant search of a water source and you will often find them near pipes, sewers, and basements. While they will feed on most foods, they particularly like fermenting material such as small insects, fungi, and algae. If they find themselves indoors, they will eat any crumbs or food found in appliances, kitchen cabinets, and floors.
Prevention is the key to keeping these pests from entering your house. Help prevent cockroaches by using these tips:
– Thoroughly clean your home each week.
– Store all food in tightly sealed containers.
– Clean up yard debris such as leaves or fallen tree limbs.
– Don’t let shrubs, trees, or woodpiles touch your home.
– Don’t forget to clean under forgotten spaces such as under the fridge, stove, and inside cabinets.
If you’ve done all the preparation you can but are still seeing roaches, consider contacting your local pest control company where they will help identify the roach, eliminate them, and keep them from coming back.
By Curt Lockhart, QA Technical Field Trainer & Inspector, Northwest Family of Brands · Last updated: September 2026
Reviewed for accuracy by Cory Goeltzenleuchter, B.C.E., P.H.E., Director of Technical Services for Northwest Exterminating — September 2026
Quick answer: Mice control before winter means sealing every gap wider than a pencil, removing food and nesting cover within a few feet of your foundation, and doing the work before the first cold nights push them indoors. Seal the structure first, address the yard second, and bring in a professional if activity is already inside.
This guide covers where mice actually enter, which materials hold up, how to walk your own property before winter, and when a professional exclusion program makes more sense than a DIY fix.
Why Mice Control Starts in September and October
When nights start to cool across the Southeast, mice begin trading outdoor food sources for whatever they can find inside a pantry or wall void. That shift usually begins in September and builds through October, right as seeds, insects, and fruit become harder to find outside.
Sealing your home before the first frost keeps the problem out entirely, instead of forcing you to trap and remove an active population after the fact.
How Mice Actually Get In
A young mouse can squeeze through a gap roughly the width of a pencil, about a quarter inch. If a pencil slides into an opening, a mouse can follow. Because mice also climb brick, siding, and downspouts with ease, ground level is not your only exposure. The real entry points span the full structure.
Here are the gaps we find most often in Southeastern homes:
Crawl space vents and access doors. Damaged screens, warped doors, and missing covers are among the most common ways mice reach the underside of a home.
Brick veneer weep holes. These small drainage gaps between courses of brick are a frequent entry point, especially when left unscreened.
Dryer vents and AC line sets. The openings where these lines pass through an exterior wall are often larger than necessary and left unsealed.
Garage door corners and side seals. Worn bottom corners and gaps in the side seals give mice a direct path into the garage and from there into the house.
Soffit and fascia gaps. Separation or rot along the roofline lets mice enter from above after climbing a wall or nearby limb.
Utility and plumbing penetrations. Gaps around pipes under sinks and behind appliances become easy interior routes once a mouse has entered the wall.
Gable and ridge vents. High vents are vulnerable when screening ages, deteriorates, or gets pushed out by weather.
Because mice can enter from the foundation up to the roofline, a thorough inspection needs to cover the entire exterior, not just the bottom few feet.
Rodent-Proofing Materials: What Works and What Mice Chew Through
Before you seal anything, it helps to know which materials actually hold. Mice chew through more products than most homeowners expect, which is why so many DIY repairs fail within a season.
Material
Holds Up
Fails
Best Use
Copper mesh
Yes, resists chewing and rust
If packed too loosely
Stuffing gaps around pipes and vents
Hardware cloth (1/4 inch)
Yes, durable and gnaw-resistant
If gauge is too thin
Covering vents, weep holes, and larger openings
Sheet metal
Yes, mice cannot chew through it
If edges lift over time
Garage corners, chewed door frames
Mortar or concrete patch
Yes, permanent when cured
If applied over a gap that is too wide
Foundation cracks, masonry gaps
Expanding foam alone
No
Mice chew through it easily
Only as a filler behind mesh or metal, never alone
Steel wool alone
No
Rusts and falls apart over time
Temporary use only, always backed by a lasting material
Plastic vent covers
No
Cracks and gets chewed
Not recommended as a mouse barrier
The pattern is consistent. Expanding foam and steel wool fail as standalone barriers. They may slow a mouse briefly, but neither stops one for long. Copper mesh, hardware cloth, and sheet metal are what actually hold up.
“The first place I check is where utility lines enter the home, because that gap is the culprit more often than not. And the most common fix homeowners try is a wad of steel wool, which we almost always end up pulling out and redoing properly,”
says Curt Lockhart, QA Technical Field Trainer & Inspector, Northwest Family of Brands.
The Fall Rodent-Proofing Walkthrough
Most of this inspection can be done in an afternoon. Work from outside in, so you close the doors before checking whether anything is already inside.
Walk the full exterior. Start at one corner and circle the home. Check low for weep holes, foundation cracks, and gaps at dryer vents and AC line sets. Check garage door corners and side seals. Note every opening a pencil could fit through.
Check the roofline. This step usually requires a ladder. Inspect soffit and fascia seams, gable vents, and ridge vents for gaps or deteriorated screening. If the ladder work feels unsafe, this is the right point to call a professional.
Inspect the attic. Look for droppings, chewed insulation, and daylight showing through gaps in the roofline. Any daylight is an opening a mouse can use.
Move to the crawl space. Check vents, the access door, and anywhere pipes or wiring pass through the framing. Crawl space work is often better completed by a professional, both for safety and to catch gaps that are easy to miss.
Seal interior penetrations last. Under sinks and behind appliances, fill gaps around plumbing and utility lines with copper mesh backed by a lasting patch material.
Match each gap to the right material from the table above. A gap packed with foam alone will not hold through the winter. The same gap stuffed with copper mesh will.
Yard and Landscape Changes That Reduce Pressure
Sealing the structure is the core of effective mice control, but the yard around it sets the conditions. A few changes close to the home make it noticeably less inviting:
Pull pine straw and mulch back several inches from the foundation to eliminate ground-level cover.
Store firewood off the ground and at least a few feet away from exterior walls.
Trim overhanging limbs away from the roofline to remove the climbing path mice use most.
Manage bird feeders and the seed they drop, and store pet food in sealed containers.
Keep trash cans tightly lidded and positioned away from the house.
These steps reduce the pressure at your walls. Gaps you have already sealed face far less traffic when the yard around them is not providing food and shelter.
Rodent-Proofing Across the Northwest Service Area
Southeastern housing stock varies enough that the weak points differ by market. Here is what Northwest’s teams see consistently as the cooler months approach.
Atlanta. Many intown homes sit on older, open crawl spaces and pier foundations. Mice reach the underside through worn vents and loose access doors, making crawl space sealing a frequent first priority.
Marietta. Subdivision homes backing to wooded rear lots face steady pressure from nearby tree cover. Unsealed soffit returns are a common roofline entry point. The right starting move is sealing crawl space vents and soffit returns while trimming any limbs that give mice a bridge from the rear lot to the roof.
Chattanooga. Homes built into hillside and ridge terrain often have grade changes that create entry points at unexpected heights along the structure. Sealing before winter here means checking wherever the home meets a slope, along with vents, garage seals, and utility penetrations near grade.
Savannah. Coastal humidity keeps crawl space vents in heavy use, and the mature tree canopy often makes contact with rooflines. That combination gives mice both a low route and a high one. Trimming limbs and sealing crawl space vents usually need to happen together.
Birmingham. A mix of slab and crawl space homes, many with aging garage seals, makes the garage one of the most common entry points in the area. Refreshing worn bottom seals and door corners closes a door that is easy to overlook.
Wherever you are in Georgia, Tennessee, or Alabama, the approach holds: inspect the full structure, seal with materials that last, and time the work before cold weather shifts mouse behavior.
When Sealing Is Not Enough: Mice Control Once They Are Inside
Sometimes mice are already inside before the inspection happens. Watch for these signs that a population has moved in:
Droppings in more than one room
Sounds in the walls or ceiling after dark
Chewed wiring or insulation
Grease trails along baseboards where mice travel regularly
If these signs are present, sealing alone can make the problem worse by trapping live mice inside wall voids, which leads to odor, further damage, and mice gnawing new openings to escape. At that point, a professional exclusion and trapping program is the right move. The right sequence is always removal first, sealing second.
For additional research-based guidance on rodents and the health risks they carry, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is a reliable resource for homeowners across the Southeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smallest gap a mouse can get through?
About the width of a pencil, or roughly a quarter inch. Gaps that size appear at weep holes, dryer vents, AC line sets, garage door corners, and openings around utility penetrations. If a pencil fits through, a mouse can follow.
How do I keep mice out of my house permanently?
Seal every pencil-width gap with chew-proof materials, keep food and nesting cover away from the foundation, and repeat a full inspection each fall before the cold arrives. Consistent seasonal sealing is the most reliable long-term approach.
Does steel wool or peppermint oil really keep mice away?
No, not on their own. Peppermint oil may briefly irritate a mouse but does not stop one from entering. Steel wool rusts and falls apart over time and fails as a standalone barrier. Copper mesh and hardware cloth are what actually hold up against gnawing.
When should I rodent-proof my home in Georgia or Tennessee?
The best window is September and October, before the first cold nights push mice indoors. Sealing ahead of the season keeps them out entirely rather than forcing removal after the fact.
Can I seal a crawl space myself?
Basic vent covers and access door repairs are manageable for most homeowners, but crawl spaces are tight and easy to seal incompletely. A professional inspection typically catches penetrations and grade-level gaps that are difficult to reach and identify on your own.
How much does professional rodent exclusion cost?
Cost depends on the size of the home, the number of entry points, and whether an existing population needs to be removed first. Every project starts with a free inspection so you get an accurate quote before any work begins.
Do Not Wait Until You Hear Them in the Wall
Sealing beats trapping every time, but only when it happens before mice move in. If you want to keep mice out this winter, the weeks before the first frost are the window that matters. Schedule a free rodent-proofing inspection with your local Northwest team. We serve homeowners across Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, and we can help you close the doors before the cold pushes mice inside. Book online or call your nearest branch.
Curt Lockhart serves as a QA Technical Field Trainer & Inspector for the Northwest Family of Brands, specializing in wildlife and commercial pest services. He supports teammate development through hands-on training, technical guidance, safety education, and quality assurance best practices. Curt’s experience helps ensure consistent service excellence and effective pest management solutions for customers.
Reviewed for Accuracy
Cory Goeltzenleuchter, B.C.E., P.H.E., is the Director of Technical Services for Northwest Exterminating. As a Board Certified Entomologist and Public Health Entomologist, he is one of the organization’s leading technical experts in pest management. He oversees technical training, service standards, and industry best practices while helping ensure customers receive extraordinary service through science-based solutions, ongoing education, and innovative approaches across the Northwest Family of Brands.
Main living areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms are all places that homeowners want to ensure are pest-free and wildlife-free year-round. While these spaces are always important to keep free of pests, it’s equally important to prevent them from entering the “forgotten rooms” in your home, as well. These forgotten areas include your basement, attic, and even extra storage rooms. Unfortunately, many homeowners are so focused on keeping the main living areas pest-free that they sometimes forget these other areas too.
Wildlife critters and household pests are looking for three things: water, food, and a warm environment. These three elements are easily available inside every home. Your attic is the perfect room for wildlife to make their home and for a pest to infest. Wildlife such as raccoons, squirrels, and birds can make their way through any openings or gaps leading into the attic. Sealing up any entry points is always a great start for wildlife prevention. Check your attic for any holes or gaps and seal them up immediately. In addition, inspecting your attic insulation is key to household pest prevention. Proper attic insulation can help prevent bugs such as roaches or ants from making their way inside.
Basements will often contain moisture by way of standing water, which provides pests and wildlife a plentiful water supply. Water is one of the main sources of attraction for pests like termites and millipedes. Cutting down moisture is essential to pest prevention. A moisture barrier for your crawlspace and a gutter protection system for your roof are great investments to help eliminate any standing water. These investments both help ensure that water is not filtering into your crawlspace and basement area.
If you suspect that you have a pest or wildlife infestation in your home’s “forgotten areas,” consider reaching out to your local pest control company. A professional will inspect these areas and provide you with a prevention and treatment plan.
During the wintertime, many homeowners worry less about pests that are common during the spring and summer months. Contrary to popular belief, however, some pests don’t just die off; instead they use their survival instincts to get through the winter. Here is a list of four common winter pests and what you can do to prevent them once the warmer weather arrives!
Ants
Seeing ants marching inside your home is typically uncommon during the winter months. Ants are still around, however, as they are great at overwintering and preparing for the cold! Ants prepare for the colder weather starting in the fall where they indulge in lots of food. This preparation technique helps them put on fat so they can survive for weeks at a time without eating. When winter finally arrives, their body temperature and activity will decrease. They will then seal up their colonies built deep in the soil or under rocks, where they will stay until springtime arrives!
Once the warmer weather hits, ants are full of energy and ready to invade your home in search of more food. To make sure these pests don’t come inside, seal all open gaps and holes, especially around areas where pipes and wires enter your home.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are active year-round, meaning they will invade your home whether it’s cold or warm outside. These pests are extremely resilient and can survive temperatures from nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit! Because they can withstand these extreme temperatures, bed bug control can be difficult. Common signs of bed bugs include rusty, reddish-brown stains on bed sheets or mattresses, bites on exposed skin when sleeping, and eggs or egg casings.
After coming home from traveling, unpack your clothes and put them directly into your washing machine to clean. Always inspect your luggage for bed bugs and use a vacuum to clean it before storing it.
Cockroaches
Most cockroaches can survive year-round if they have access to a warm and moist environment. Unfortunately, this means your home is the perfect place for these pests to inhabit. German cockroaches are one species that are known to survive harsh weather conditions. When cold hits, these roaches are great at sneaking indoors through small gaps and holes.
Cockroaches prefer to live in humid habitats, especially in residential kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. To ensure these pests don’t infest your home, make sure to clean up any spills or food crumbs, vacuum often, and use weatherstripping to seal doorways.
Mosquitoes
It’s inevitable to see mosquitoes out during the summer months; but it may be surprising to most that these pests don’t die off when winter hits. Mosquitoes will, instead, overwinter or hibernate in protected areas such as hollow logs. When the temperatures increase, female mosquitoes will awaken and seek out a blood source to feed on to begin developing eggs.
Preparing for mosquito activity before summer arrives is crucial in protecting your home and family. Confirm your home is mosquito-proofed by eliminating any standing water, debris from your gutters, and sealing any holes or gaps leading inside the home.
To prevent these pests from invading your home when spring and summer hit, consider contacting your local pest control company. A trained professional can then provide you with an inspection, prevention, and treatment plan.
Pest control starts at home. By establishing a good line of defense on the home front, you’re less likely to need to mount an offense against those pesky pest invaders. Prevention is key to keeping a small pest problem from becoming a full fledged pest invasion. Here is our guide to home pest control:
Step 1: Maintain Your Landscaping
The fewer pests you have outside your home means less of a chance they will make their way inside your home. Make your yard less hospitable for pests to reduce the likelihood they will move indoors. Keep tree branches and shrubbery trimmed back so they don’t touch your house. This helps eliminate “bridges” they can use to get inside. Mulch is also excellent for sheltering unwanted pests. Consider using a cover that is less attractive like rock. Clean out leaves and other debris from gutters or install gutter guards to help prevent standing water.
Step 2: Inspect the Outside
The best way to keep pests out is to find out how they can get in and eliminate these points of entry. Routinely inspect the entire exterior of your home for gaps, cracks, and crevices. Check foundations, loose siding, missing shingles, and gaps around utility lines (especially pipes, wiring, and cable). Seal any openings you find with either copper mesh, steel wool, sheet metal or mortar. Try not to use expanding caulk because some pests can still chew through this (think rodents!). Keep an eye out for signs of termites including mud tubes, damaged wood, or cracked and bubbling paint. Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles. Replace weather stripping and make sure to repair loose mortar. Use screens on windows, attic vents, and chimney openings.
Step 3: Choose the Right Lightbulbs
Bugs tend to be more attracted to standard mercury vapor lightbulbs. Consider replacing your standard lightbulbs with high pressure sodium vapor or halogen bulbs instead. What the bulbs are made of aren’t the only thing you should consider. Check the color of the lightbulbs, as well. Bulbs with pink, yellow, and orange tints are less attractive to pests.
Step 4: Take Out the Garbage
Garbage attracts pests like rodents, roaches, and even ants. These pests are also attracted to yard waste which can provide them with both a source of food and a nesting site. Use garbage and recycling cans with tight-fitting lids. Make sure to clean both the garbage cans and the area where they sit on a regular basis. Clean up any spills and leftover debris that these pests can feed on. Keep your deck, patio, garage, and yard clear of leaf litter, clippings, and standing water. Rinse all the food off anything you are recycling before putting them in the bin. Store your cans outside whenever possible.
Step 5: Check the Interior
Inspections shouldn’t be limited to outside the home. The interior needs to be inspected regularly, as well. While inspecting, make sure to look under, inside, and behind cabinets, the refrigerator, and the stove for signs of household pests. Look for gaps around pipes, vents, and cables and in the trim. If you find any gaps, seal them up, especially if they are 1/4″ in size or bigger. Check for moisture under sinks and repair leaky pipes, Use a dehumidifier in crawlspaces, attics, and basements.
Step 6: Empty the Drains
Drains in the sink, tub, shower, and floor can hold moisture and accumulate debris and gunk. This not only attracts pests but also provides them with the ideal environment to breed in. Inspect and clean all your drains on a regular basis, including those in the laundry room and basement.
Step 7: Establish a Cleaning Routine
Establishing a regular cleaning routine helps keep your home clean, making it less attractive to pests. Keep food stored in containers with tight fitting lids or resealable bags. Never leave open food out overnight. Keep the pantry cleaned out regularly to get rid of spoiled food and other items. These steps will help eliminate pantry pests. Wipe down countertops daily and keep ripe fruit in the fridge. Wash dishes or load the dishwasher nightly and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight. Sweep, vacuum, and mop on a regular basis, as well. This not only disturbs the areas that pests may frequent but also helps eliminate crumbs and debris that can serve as a food source.
Step 8: Remember Your Pets
Pets aren’t immune to pest problems. Not only can pests hitch a ride inside on your pets, but their food and water also serve as attractants. Keep your pet’s food and water bowls clean and clean up any spilled food and water immediately. Launder your pet’s bedding in hot water every week. Store pet food in a sealable container. Per your vet’s recommendations, use appropriate flea and tick prevention as needed.
A small pest problem can escalate quickly; but with this handy guide to home pest control, you can take the necessary steps to prevent a pest infestation. If your pest problem has gotten out of control or you want a little extra help from a pro, contact a professional pest control company for a complete inspection and treatment plan.
The holidays are over and we can now welcome the New Year! Like many of us, we look forward to setting some New Year’s resolutions and goals! This year many of us will look forward to saving more money, exercising more, and even working on home improvements; although one resolution you might not consider that’s both easy and effective is pest-proofing your home!. Making sure your home is protected against pests will help to keep them out for the rest of the year while also helping you stress less about pests! Here are some easy and hassle-free ways you can keep your house pest free this year!
Kitchen Clean-Up
Pests love three things: shelter, food, and water. Unfortunately for us, they can find all of these things inside our homes. Keeping a clean kitchen throughout the year can help with two of these main factors – food and water. Make sure you always clean your kitchen after cooking and eating meals. Wipe down any leftover crumbs and spills, even in hard to reach places. Store food, including pet food, in airtight containers in your pantries. Every week try to sweep up your floors and vacuum to ensure that there isn’t missed food debris on the floors.
Seal Those Gaps
Pests only need the smallest gap to enter your home and infest! Ensure pests don’t get inside by inspecting both the exterior and interior walls of your home for any open areas. If a gap is found, tightly seal it up with caulk. Make sure to also check areas where your utilities and pipes come into the home for any gaps. Finally, use screens on doors and windows, making sure they are in good repair. If a hole is found, replace the door screens and windows as soon as possible.
Don’t Forget About Outside
Pest proofing outside the home is just as important as proofing inside. Pests love clutter and debris like fallen leaves. To help declutter, clean out your gutters of debris and consider installing gutter guards to help eliminate clogs and standing water. Similarly, rake up any leaves that have fallen throughout your yard. Be sure to also keep your firewood stored at least 20 feet from your home and elevate it. If you bring the wood inside, make sure to inspect it for pests. Trim your bushes and trees back from your home where they are not touching the sides of your house. This can help with keeping pests and wildlife creatures from entering your attic.
Call A Professional
Ringing in the New Year can sometimes feel overwhelming when thinking about all the goals we want to achieve. If you want to start out the year less stressed about pests, consider calling a professional pest control company. These professionals can set you up with a scheduled treatment and prevention plan so you can focus more time on doing the things you love.
One thing that is sure to put a damper on your holiday spirit is unwanted pests! The holiday season provides ample opportunity for household pests to make their way into your home. Spiders, rodents, ants, ticks, and other overwintering pests will commonly invade in search of food, water, and shelter.
Holiday pests will use Christmas trees, wreaths, firewood, decorations, storage boxes, luggage, and more to hitch a ride into your home. Some pests will hide in the branches and crevices of Christmas trees, wreaths, garland, and firewood. They can even lay eggs which will then hatch after you bring them inside. Mice and other pests will take refuge inside your storage boxes that hold decorations. You may find live pests, dead pests, or droppings inside these containers. You may also find that they have chewed or damaged wires inside the box.
Increased travel at the holidays increases the risk of bed bugs. These pests hitch a ride on unsuspecting travelers’ luggage, coats, purses, and more. The kitchen is often the central gathering place for holiday cooking and meals. It can also be a big source of food for unwanted pests. Crumbs, spills, leftovers, and dirty dishes all provide an easy food source for holiday pests.
Don’t let pests ruin your holiday plans. Keep them away with these 5 holiday pest control tips.
Inspect Trees and Other Live Decorations
Pests can come indoors on live trees, wreaths, garland, and firewood. Carefully inspect these items outside before bringing them inside. Make sure to check for live pests, nests, and eggs. Shake them out carefully to disturb any slumbering pests and to knock off any hidden pests.
Check Storage Boxes
Pests will hide out in boxes used to store decorations and other holiday items. Unpack these items outside and inspect them all carefully for signs or pests including dead bugs, live bugs, droppings, gnaw marks, and other damage. Carefully check strings of lights and other wires for signs of chewing.
Keep the Kitchen Clean
Holiday meals are centered around the kitchen. Clean up the kitchen after cooking. Wash dishes or load the dishwasher and don’t leave dirty dishes out overnight. Sweep up any crumbs from the floor and clean up spills immediately. Make sure to empty the trashcan frequently, especially before bedtime.
Use Caution When Traveling
Bed bugs are common at the holidays because of the increase in travel. Whether you are going away or you have guests coming in, inspect the bedding carefully for bed bugs. Signs of bed bugs include live bugs, reddish brown spots on bed linens, and shed skins. These can be found on beds, mattresses, box springs, linens, curtains, furniture, and even baseboards. Check luggage before bringing it into the house. Wash clothes in hot water and dry on hot heat as soon as you return home.
Prepare For Next Season
At the end of the holidays, taking down decorations and storing them for next year becomes a priority. Store your holiday decor in plastic storage bins with sealing lids rather than cardboard boxes or bags. Don’t pile discarded trees, garlands, or cut firewood near your home as these can attract termites and rodents.
The holiday season is a time of great joy, family, and friendship. Don’t let holiday pests ruin your year. If you have a problem with any type of critter in your home, contact your local pest control company for a free inspection and comprehensive treatment plan.
*Inspection fee for Bird Control or Snake Removal begins at $125. These service inspection fees will be applied to total service cost if bird control and/or snake removal services are completed.
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