The Top 10 Ways to Keep Pests Out of Your Home

Insects, arachnids, and rodents can be incredibly resourceful. Even after you think you have eliminated the very last one of these creatures from your home, yet one more appears. Fortunately, while the stray ant or spider may enter your home no matter what precautions you take, there is much you can do discourage these pests from making their way indoors, and much you can do to make your home inhospitable if they do enter.

1. Thoroughly seal cracks. Mice can squeeze through openings as small as 1/4 inch wide, and of course insects can sneak in through even smaller openings. Therefore, the first step to keeping pests out of your home is to carefully seal up any openings through which they might enter. Seal around doors, power and cable lines, and vents. Additionally, be sure to seal foundation and exterior wall cracks. If your home has gaps between floorboards and doors, consider installing snug-fitting thresholds.
2. Install window screens. Since pests can creep in through even tiny foundation cracks, an open window is almost an invitation for them to enter. Be sure to fit all windows in your home with screens, and replace any torn screens.
3. Keep your yard tidy. Many pests live in leaf litter, debris, and woodpiles. Mosquitoes, fleas, and other insects are also attracted to standing water. Therefore, it’s important to keep your yard free of debris, and to eliminate any stagnant puddles that collect in your lawn or driveway. Often, after insects have established themselves in a lawn or garden, they will hitch a free ride into a nearby house by attaching themselves to pets, firewood, or clothing.
4. Keep food in sealed containers. Open food containers attract cockroaches, weevils, ants, and other undesirables. Therefore, keeping food in carefully sealed containers will do much to make your home inhospitable to such creatures. Avoid leaving crumbs on counter tops and tables, and clean spills and dirty dishes as soon as possible.
5. Trim trees and bushes that are close to your home. Branches and shrubs that touch roofs, windows, and doors often form walkways for rodents and bugs, allowing them to walk right into your home.
6. Install mesh coverings on attic vent openings. Attic crawl spaces are some of the favorite habitats of mice, raccoons, and squirrels. Not only can these creatures cause damage to your home, they can also bring fleas, mites, and other pests with them. Therefore, prevent such creatures from entering through attic vents by installing fine mesh screens.
7. Eliminate sources of unnecessary moisture. Leaky pipes, damp basements, and standing water can all attract pests. Many insects, including varieties of cockroaches and termites, require moist environments in order to thrive. Fixing leaky pipes, using dehumidifiers, and setting up proper drainage systems can go a long way toward discouraging pests from making your home into their home.
8. Take out the garbage often. Cockroaches in particular love to feast on decaying food, and bags of garbage are especially attractive to them and to other insects. Since many bugs have remarkably strong senses of smell, they will often pick out the aroma of garbage long before you do. Make sure that all trash cans have tightly-closing lids, and be sure to clean all trash cans regularly.
9. Keep your home clean. Insects will nest in both indoor and outdoor debris. Therefore, be sure to keep not only your yard, but also your home clean. Pick up newspapers, boxes, laundry, and other clutter. Remember that some pests are attracted to animal waste, so clean out cat litter boxes regularly, and wash pet beds frequently. Vacuum often.
10. Attract pest predators. If you are troubled by a specific pest, try to attract that pest’s predators to your property. For instance, both bats and birds feed on insects, so building bat or bird nests on your property may help you reduce the number of insects in your area. Bats will even eat scorpions!

 Sourced from: mypestprevention.com