PEST PROOFING YOUR HOME FOR SPRING
Most people look forward to the arrival of warmer weather in the Spring. Unfortunately, so do pests and all the little nuisance wildlife we’ve come to know. The best way to minimize the chance of an infestation is prevention, and right now is the most efficient time of the year to get a jump start on pest control. Most household pests are at their weakest now, so it makes sense to take advantage and commence your spring maintenance pest control.
First, set aside some time to inspect the inside and the perimeter of your home. You will need to look for any potential pest harborage sites and follow the steps listed below to reduce their effect in and around your home.
Do Outdoor Spring Cleaning
Clean gutters, remove debris (piles of leaves, old woodchips, old tires, etc.), and trim branches near your home to limit easy access.
Have a Healthy Lawn & Garden
This will limit pesky weeds and bugs. Also, placing fresh cypress mulch acts as a natural barrier to many insects, including planting ornamentals and herbs such as garlic and basil.
Seal Up Any Access Points
Any potential openings should be sealed with caulk, screening, etc., or replace the siding. Check your window/door trim, foundation, vent screens, and utility hookups.
Look For Any Leaks or Dripping Water
This is the #1 cause of carpenter ants! Check for water or moisture along your foundation, window and door frames, plumbing, and outdoor spigots.
Inspect Your Interior
Check the kitchen and all bathrooms. Look for leaky pipes and inspect the supply lines from sinks and toilets (carpenter ants love this!) Also, check under baseboards, carpet corners, pantries, closets, and stairways.
Check the Weather Strips on Doors
Weatherstripping helps keep bugs, debris, and the elements out. Check for chew marks too, and don’t forget the garage door!
Remove/Replace Old Standing Water Doing this will prevent the breeding of mosquitoes that cause the ZIKA virus and other transmitted diseases. This includes changing the water in birdbaths regularly.
Being proactive now can help in preventing an unwanted infestation. Still need a hand; give Northern Pest a call! Sometimes, periodic treatments around the perimeter of your home/property provide the best line of defense against persistent insects and rodents.
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, bats emerge from hibernation in May, just as the insects start to return. Small brown bats, common in the UP, may hibernate for more than six months, waiting for the return of insects and warmer temperatures in the spring. In search of food and other activities, bats are experts in finding their way into structures. Despite being beneficial for the environment, these pests can create an unhealthy living environment through exposure to rabies and histoplasmosis. They often damage insulation and cause a serious odor problem.
To lower the risk of a bat problem:
• Seal up any entry points
• Trim trees away from the roof and exterior siding
• If you hear scratching and clawing sounds coming from the walls or ceiling, especially at night, call Northern Pest to deal with a suspected bat invasion!
Bats are an important part of the ecosystem. Northern Pest strives to safely remove them from the inside of your home or business as humanely as possible. We remove bats through an exclusion process. After a thorough inspection to identify entry points, we install check valves to allow bats to exit and prevent them from returning. Once the colony has vacated, the valves are removed, and the entry points are sealed up to prohibit re-entry. After a bat exclusion, the cleanup process can begin, and any restoration repairs required can be done.