How to Pest Proof Your Home

Despite what children’s fairytales may have us believe, inviting mice, squirrels and other cuddly rodents into your home will not get your chores completed any faster. In fact, it can lead to significant property damage, costly repairs and, in some cases, disease. Unfortunately, even if you don’t hang your head out the window and yodel towards the woods, you may find these pests become unwanted house guests in your home. Instead of investing in a sturdy broom or a content housecat, prevent these pesky squatters from infiltrating your home with these helpful pest-proofing tips!

Keep Out(side)

Rodents have two reasons to scope out your home as their new place of residence: food and shelter. The key to keeping them away is to make sure your property does not provide either of those things. Metal, closed trash cans are the best way to seal your garbage so pests don’t find a free meal. Even spills or crumbs can look like a buffet to a hungry mouse, and the cleanest of homes can fall victim to pests. Sweep or mop up crumbs and spills quickly, and pick up pet food at night to prevent hungry intruders. They aren’t picky – if there’s anything edible in reach, they will find it, and they will stick around for more.

Don’t give them the opportunity to bunk with you. Clutter is a five-star hotel to a pest, so make sure your yard, perimeter, and any exterior buildings are clean and tidy. Hold a yard sale to clear out that shed. Clean out gutters and rake up dead leaves. Keep up with your landscaping to prevent ground cover. If your yard is a little on the wilder side, and needs that ground cover, it may be worth investing in decoys to keep pests at bay. No, we don’t mean that plastic hardware store owl. Rodents know if it doesn’t move, it won’t go after them, and they ignore it. Try some of the newer alternatives, like decoys that hang in trees and move with the wind or shiny ribbon that looks like the sheen of a snake to a little mouse.

Seal the Deal

Check your home from top to bottom and side to side for any potential points of entry. From your roof to your foundation, the smallest of gaps can be big enough for a rodent to slip by. Mice can enter holes or cracks the size of a dime, so seal up anything that size or larger. Copper wool is a great material for this, since pests can chew through foams and caulks, and steel wool rusts quickly. Hardware cloth or aluminum window screens will also work, though aluminum window screens are best served at covering windows, door sweeps, vents and chimneys. These measures will also protect against summer bugs like spiders and ants. We consider that a win-win.

Who You Gonna Call?

Sometimes DIY just doesn’t do enough. If you continue to see droppings or other signs of pests, don’t wait too long to call a professional. Pest infiltration can cause substantial damage to your home, with bills that will far outweigh any exterminator charge (not to mention, you’ll still have to call one after you fix all the damage). Here at GCD, we’re committed to making your home experience the best it can be, and that means arming our residents with the knowhow to keep their families and home safe. Sometimes that knowhow is simply knowing when it’s time to call in the pros.

Now that the holidays are behind us, why open up your home to more visitors, especially when those house guests are really house pests? Remember these tips if your home gets a little too much like a fairytale throughout these cold winter months and beyond! It could have a lasting impact on the integrity of your home and, more importantly, the health of your family.