Nothing can ruin the sanctity of your home quite like a pest infestation. Whether you are worried about mice, rats, birds, bats, snakes, or foxes, pest-proofing your home should be a top priority for you to look into. Having a pest infestation occur in your home can be quite a costly affair, making it more beneficial to just prevent pests from being able to get into your home from the start. Continue reading to learn about three easy ways in which you can pest-proof your home.
Seal Your Home
The easiest way to completely pest-proof your home for pest bird control, mouse control, and virtually any other pest animal is to seal your house. To begin this process, you should first investigate the outside of your home. The most important place to check for any problems is along your roof. Be careful when checking the gutters, attic, soffit, and fascia of your home, since birds, rodents, and bats all get in through these places. Next, you can work your way down and around your home, being sure to check the foundation especially well. If you find any holes or cracks, be sure to fix them with an all-weather sealant, aluminium sheeting, or a similar material.
Once the exterior is sealed up, the interior needs to receive the same treatment. Be especially careful as you check the interior of your home from top to bottom, paying special attention to the attic, the baseboards, and any areas where your appliances meet the outside. A great pest bird control tip is to make sure that the flue is shut in your chimney. Be sure to take extra-special care with the attic, making sure it is completely sealed off from the outside, as this is a very bad place to get animals.
Clean Your Yard
It might be a shocking fact that most pest infestations in homes actually begin with the animals being attracted onto your property by some aspect of your yard. Some yards provide easy sources of food. Some yards provide excellent shelter and child-rearing areas. Some yards actually provide both. If you want to keep foxes, rodents, and other pests off of your property, be sure to clean up your yard. Secure any pet food or garbage that is left outside. Always get in the habit of picking up fallen fruit from fruit trees. Be sure to clean up any debris, woodpiles, or tall grass or weeds that are around your yard. By simply getting rid of these attractants, you can effectively nullify your yard’s attractiveness to most nuisance animals.
Repellents/Traps
While they are widely said to not be effective, pest repellent scents, baits, and powders can sometimes be effective, depending on the product and the brand. If you have found a product that works well, by all means, use it, as it will repel pest animals from your home. If you want to try something more natural, it might behoove you to learn about essential oils. Peppermint, spearmint, and a variety of other essential oils are widely known to repel all kinds of pest animals, but especially mice and rats. If you want to repel more animals, consider mixing in capsaicin or hot peppers, as it can repel all kinds of critters. Simply apply these oils or a mixture of the oils and water to any potential problem areas.
Traps might not do anything to pest-proof your home, but oftentimes even the most secure homes still have pests enter. When this happens, it is highly important to have a backup plan in place. Traps, whether they are cage traps, snap traps, or glue traps all provide an excellent backup defense to your home’s pest control strategy. Virtually every option of trap on the market today can be a great addition to your home’s pest control arsenal.
