Warm Weather Can Mean Unwanted Pests. Here’s How to Enjoy a Bug-Free Summer
Summer means lightening bugs and the gentle hum of cicadas. Unfortunately, it also means an increased risk of ants, termites, mosquitos, and cockroaches. Here are a few tips that can help you keep your home bug-free throughout the warm months of summertime.
- Stay Alert to Invaders. Seeing one or two bugs in your home might seem like nothing more than an annoying sighting – but, unfortunately, it is oftentimes a harbinger of things to come. Most insects live in highly organized “civilizations” that send scouts to check out favorable locations. Allow your home to appear to favorable, and you’re in for a full-scale infestation. So every insect you see in your home should be a warning sign: it’s important to kill invading insects quickly, and it’s even more important to search and destroy any conditions that could be attracting those insects in the first place.
- Keep Breeding Grounds away from the House. Two of the best places for insects to breed and spread are standing water and dry wood. Eliminating any stagnant water sources and moving firewood at least 20 feet away from your home are two easy yet important ways of keeping infestations at bay.
- Cut off any and all Means of Entrance. No home is going to be entirely impermeable. But sealing off easy access points, such as windows and doors, will help make it just a little bit harder for bugs to get into your house. (And it will also help keep your energy costs down to boot!)
- Don’t Leave Messes! Insects are attracted to crumbs, leftovers, and food bits. These small messes are easy to leave around, especially after a long day. But taking care to keep food out of reach will go a long way toward keeping pests out of your house. On a related note, even stored foods should be sealed carefully – failing to do so could spoil your entire pantry while bringing in a number of unwanted guests.
- Keep Dry. Like all living creatures, insects need water just as much as they need nutrition – which is precisely why standing water is so detrimental to a pest-free home. Moreover, many insects also use standing water as a breeding ground. Check carefully for small pools of water in places such as the kitchen, the bathroom, and under any sinks: even the smallest bit of water can attract untold numbers of pests.
- Fight Back. As we mentioned early, it’s important to kill invading insects quickly before they can invite their friends. Raid and other chemical insect killers work fine, but if you’re interested in a chemical-free environment, you may wish to check out this list of natural insect killers.
- Know When to Call the Pros. Some infestations are simply too large to fight by yourself. And other infestations, such as termites and bed bugs, are simply too important to leave to chance. In these cases, it’s best to call a professional exterminator.
Caring for your home may seem like a large investment of time and resources, but it is worthwhile – especially when you are in the market to sell. If you are looking for a buyer, then consider contacting Blue Marble Properties!