As winter is slowly coming, more and more homes get infested with pests looking for shelter during the cold season. Due to the increased pest activity as winter approaches, you should perform pest control checks at home to ensure your home is pest-free. But how to know where to look? And how to identify possible pest problems?
Here’s a quick guide on the 4 pest control checks everyone must do at home before winter hits.
Why Is It Important To Do Pest Control Checks Before Winter?
Pests become quite active before winter hits because they are looking for a place to infest until winter is over. Our homes are typically warm and have enough water and food resources, which is why pests love to visit our garages, attics, roofs, basements, and other living spaces.
These parts of our homes represent the perfect hiding spot for many pests, including:
- Bats
- Mice
- Raccoons
- Squirrels
- Rats
- Cockroaches
- Ants
- Wasps
If any of these pests find their way to your home, they could multiply and cause serious problems, such as:
- Bad smells in your home
- Droppings around your home
- Large numbers of pests moving freely around your home
Many pests also have a bad effect on your health; they cause asthma, allergies, and can transfer various diseases and viruses.
Because of that, it’s essential to practice prevention and eliminate the chances of these pests getting inside your home. Before we get on to the pest control checks you need to preform, here’s a list of pest prevention tips to keep autumn pests at bay:
- Check your home for rodents
- Fix pest entry points
- Keep your home moist-free
- Store food properly
- Inspect things befoe they enter your home
- Maintain your outdoor areas
- Declutter
Sometimes, even with our best prevention efforts, the pests can still find a way to our homes. That’s why you must do regular pest control checks and verify there are no pests in your home this winter.
1. Check the Attic
One of the most common hiding places for pests before winter is the attic. That’s why checking the attic should be the first control check on your list.
Typically, the most common attic pests are bats, although there can be many other pests hiding up there, including:
- Rats
- Mice
- Raccoons
- Squirrels
These pests can be extremely bad for your health and lead to several problems inside your home, which is why it’s crucial to exterminate them. When checking your attic, try to look for droppings, urine, or even the pests themselves to try and eliminate if you have an infestation. Once you finish checking the attic, you can proceed to do other checks on our list.
2. Check the Basement
Basements are typically warm and moist, which makes them the perfect hiding spot for all kinds of pests, including:
- Mice
- Rats
- Raccoons
- Bugs
Because of that, before winter, you need to perform a control check and ensure your basement is pest-free. Some basements might already be pest-free, while others may require pest extermination. When checking your basement for pests, ensure that there are no cracks in the walls and no holes where the pests can enter your basement. Also, try to keep the basement clean, and if needed, set pest traps or contact exterminators to help you resolve the pest problem.
3. Check the Roof
Last but not least, always perform a pest control check on the roof. As your roof gets worn out over the years, it’s likely to have holes and damps, which are great entryways for pests. Depending on the state of your roof, and the amount of roof damage on your home, you can either fix and patch the roof yourself or reach out to professional roofing contractors. Either way, you need to ensure there are no entryways where pests could enter your attic or other parts of your home.
Conclusion
Doing pest control checks at home before winter will help you ensure your home is pest-free. Remember to do all three checks on our list, and try to practice prevention to eliminate the chances of pest infestations in your home.
