Preparing Your Home For Winter: An Easy Guide
Over 2.9 million Americans struggle with rodents and pests. And while you might think that things calm down when the cold weather hits, pests can be just as big a nuisance in the wintertime as they are the rest of the year.
As winter approaches, it’s important to protect your home for winter, not only from the elements but also from pests. Here are some tips for how to prepare your home so you can enjoy a pest-free winter.
What Are Winter Pests?
Most people associate pests with summertime when the warm weather brings out all sorts of insects and even rodents. However, it’s also necessary to be aware of pests in those winter months. Just because the cold weather has arrived doesn’t mean that pests have gone away.
Many winter pests are more active during the winter months. Some common winter pests include cockroaches, ants, mice, and rats. These pests are attracted to warm places like homes and businesses, where they can find food and shelter from the cold.
To prevent winter pests from taking over your home or office, seal any cracks or holes in your walls and keep food stored in airtight containers. Contact a professional pest management company for help with your winter pests.
Preparing Your Home for Winter Pests:
Before a little problem turns into a big one, there are things you can do to ensure you are properly preparing your home for winter pests. Some of these tips are twofold in that they help protect your home from exterior damage caused by cold weather. Take time to complete these tasks before the first freeze to ensure you’re properly sealing your home for the winter.
Caulk All Windows & Doors
As you inspect your home in preparation for winter, it’s helpful to look for any holes or gaps. If you notice any large or small cracks in your home where pests can find their way in, it’s critical to close them up properly.
You might as well take the opportunity to caulk your windows and doors as part of this preventative measure. Aside from protecting against pests, caulking helps seal any cracks or gaps around openings, preventing cold air from coming in and warm air from escaping.
Seals can help reduce energy bills and make your home more comfortable during winter. In addition, caulk can also help to prevent moisture damage by keeping out drafts and preventing condensation.
So if you’re looking for an easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency while keeping winter pests out, caulk your doors and windows before winter arrives.
Prevent Moisture & Leaks
Some common winter pests include cockroaches, ants, and mice. And what do these pests have in common? They’re all attracted to moisture. Moisture is essential for survival, and they’ll do whatever it takes to find a source of it.
That’s why preventing moisture in your home during the winter months is an important part of preparing your home for winter. Even the tiniest leak can be a veritable buffet for winter pests. So take the time to caulk any cracks or gaps in your walls and floors, as detailed above.
However, also take time to check for leaks and ensure that your gutters are clear. In addition, don’t forget to ventilate areas such as the kitchen and bathroom to prevent moisture buildup. Taking these precautions can help prevent winter pests from becoming a problem in your home.
Inspect Your Fireplace
A fireplace can be a source of great warmth and comfort on a cold winter night in North Carolina, but it can also be dangerous if it is not maintained correctly. Creosote buildup, for example, can be a serious fire hazard.
That’s why it’s important to have your fireplace inspected by a professional when preparing your home for winter. You will especially want to do this before lighting it for the first time each winter. Doing so can help to ensure that your fireplace is safe to use and that you will enjoy many cozy evenings by the fire.
Not only that but sealing it with a cover or capping it with a chimney screen can prevent winter pests such as raccoons or squirrels from entering and getting into your fireplace below. If you put a chimney screen on last winter, then it’s likely time to at least inspect it.
Properly Store Firewood
While discussing fireplace safety, it’s important to mention that if you have a fireplace, it’s essential to know how to store firewood properly. If you don’t, you’re risking exposing your home to pests such as rodents, termites, ants, and perhaps even beetles.
You can take a few steps to prevent pests from taking up residence in your firewood pile.
First, store your firewood off the ground and away from the side of your house. Ideally, you should store firewood at least 20 feet away from your house. Doing this will make it more difficult for pests to access the wood; if they do, they won’t be near your home’s interior.
Additionally, you’ll want to cover the wood with a tarp or plastic sheeting to keep it dry. Wet wood is more likely to attract pests than dry wood.
Finally, the last step of preparing your home for winter is to regularly inspect your firewood pile for signs of pests, and immediately remove any infested wood from your property. Following these simple steps can help prevent winter pests from turning your firewood into their new home.
Get Help With Pest Management
You don’t have to do the process of preparing your home for winter alone. At Pest Management Systems, we offer professional care through our affordable monthly pest management packages. Enjoy quarterly pest control or opt for more frequent inspections.
Regardless, it’s a simple yet effective way to ensure that your are preparing your home for winter properly, so you can be pest-free. Click here to get your free quote.
