Date Posted: April 15, 2015
Category: Pest Prevention Tips
Take in a deep breath and let it out. It won't be long till it starts feeling like spring. The temperatures will climb; they always do. Even the air will begin to warm. It happens every year. You know what else happens every year? Bugs and wildlife become active again. But I have good news. There are some things you can do about those pests.
The first thing you'll need to do is recognize how spring makes your home more vulnerable. But you may be shocked when you hear what I'm about to tell you. Often, homeowners don't even realize that they have been putting out a welcome sign for years.
Moisture is the death of a house, and a dying house is enticing for pests. If you have a broken gutter, puddles near your basement walls or an area where snow melts and water runs down the side of your home, you are creating the conditions for wood rot. Wetness on wood allows spring spores to land on your exterior walls and stick. As the spores push their roots into the wood, they begin the process of rot. These soft rotted areas lure in termites, carpenter ants, rodents and other wood-chewing pests. Carpenter ants chew galleries through wood and can, over time, cause structures to sag and collapse. Termites consume wood and bore their way into homes, leaving them unrepairable. Rodents chew their way in, nest in wall voids, chew insulation and wiring, gnaw into food packaging and spread illness. Preventing all of these pests begins with managing moisture.
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Inspect your gutter system and make sure there are no breaks or obstructions. Water should not spill over or run down your walls.
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Don't allow standing water next to your basement walls. Fill those areas in with crushed stone.
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If you have wood damage, use a caulking gun to fill those holes or get those areas repaired.
If you have pests in your Worcester home, call Big Blue Bug. We don't just do exterminations. We are a pest management company. We can do a thorough inspection, show you what pests are damaging your home, offer advice on ways you can exclude them, and outline a home pest control plan that will stop the cycle of damage. You have a lot invested in your home. Don't let bugs and wildlife steal your equity. Start protecting your home this spring.
