As fall approaches you can mourn the summer or you can focus on getting ready for the winter. Fall is the best time to undertake pest control, but you need to act fast!

As the temperature starts to drop there are a variety of pests that will be looking for shelter, somewhere warm with food and water, where they can snuggle for the winter. Your home can be an attractive option, especially if you don’t prepare for their invasion.

It’s worth noting that the exact pests you’ll be facing will depend on the area you live in, giving your local pest control firm a call will help to establish which pests are the biggest threat in your area.

Then you can start your pest prevention measures.

Survey The Perimeter

Walk around your home looking for cracks in the rendering, or small gaps around windows and doors. Insects can get through virtually any space, while mice need a gap the size of a dime!

Of course, you can seal your home in bubble wrap or a large blanket, that means you need to repair each hole as you find it.

Check Your Vents

Don’t forget, when looking for gaps, that vents are an easy target, especially if they’re already broken. Ideally, you should cover all your vents with wire mesh, that is at most the size of a dime, but preferably smaller.

Look For Moisture

All animals need water to survive. You need to check your home for sources of standing water and get rid of them. You should also check your walls and ceilings for any water stain marks. This will tell you that you have a water problem.

You’ll need to check further and perhaps contact a plumber in order to identify the source of the moisture and fix the issue.

You also need to make sure that mulch, or any similar material, is not surrounding your home. Keep a concrete edging around your home to make it more difficult for pests to get in.

Keep It Clean

Just as pests need water, they also need food. By putting food away in sealed containers and always wiping down your countertops, you’ll deprive them of the food they need.

This means they’ll head to another house that is an easy target.

Don’t forget to vacuum regularly and even mop your floor with a disinfectant, this will not be appealing to your pests.

Humidity

If you get a dehumidifier and put it in your basement, you can set it to 40% humidity. Alongside this sweep down any spider webs you see. Within a few weeks most, if not all, of the spiders in your basement will have died.

However, don’t forget that spiders catch flies and other pests, it may be useful to keep a few in the basement.

Finally, if you suspect you already have an issue then you should use traps to capture the pests. This will help you to identify the type of pest and take the appropriate action. Of course, you’ll find it beneficial to use a local pest control service as they’ll know how to get rid of any infestation properly.