You closed all the windows and doors and cleaned up all the food, but you still found something moving around the floor. It’s a mistake a lot of people make to think pests enter the house for only one reason. It’s usually many smaller things that slowly make your house more welcoming to pests. Here are some easy-to-fix issues that pest control Heber City inspectors have seen time and time again.
1. Leaving Dirty Dishes in the Sink
Leaving dishes in the sink overnight attracts pests. The smallest amount of food on a dish can provide a meal to a single ant colony or support a large cockroach colony throughout the night. Wash dishes every night, or else you may be providing free food to unwanted guests.
2. Keeping Cereal and Other Foods in Their Bulk Packaging
Insects can easily get into cardboard, cereal bags, and sacks of rice and flour, which leaves them easy access to your food. It’s important to store food in hard plastic containers with lids to prevent access.
3. Watering Your Indoor Plants Too Much
Breeding mosquitoes and attracting fungus gnats are side effects of wet soil. The ideal soil moisture for house plants is dry between watering. Make sure the drainage holes in your plants’ pots remain clear.
4. Skipping or Delaying Trash Removal
Leaving trash sitting out attracts pests. Trash that sits out for extended periods attracts cockroaches and rodents. Consider using bins with lids to seal in the odors. Be sure to take out the trash on a regular basis. To help manage odors, consider rinsing the trash weekly.
5. Leaving Pet Food Out Overnight
Pet food, especially when left out overnight, draws mice and roaches. Be sure to feed your pet on a set schedule, and put the food and little pet kibble containers into the unsealed pet food container.
6. Ignoring Cracks, Gaps, and Unsealed Entry Points
Pests can get in through the smallest of openings. One of the most common entry points pest control specialists trace to the start of infestations is a gap that homeowners neglected for months. Caulking is a great entry point sealer, and so is a door sweep. Be sure to replace or repair any torn window screens.
7. Letting Landscaping Grow Against the House
Pressing shrubs and vines against your home provides a direct point of access for rodents and insects. Keep your landscaping at least 2 feet away from your home, especially to prevent mulch from touching the foundation.
8. Ignoring Leaks and Buildup of Moisture
Termites, silverfish, and cockroaches thrive in damp areas, including spaces under sinks, basements, and around leaking pipes. Many pest control Heber City professionals have identified sources of unwanted moisture as the number one cause of indoor infestations.
9. Living with Clutter That’s Never Cleaned
Cardboard boxes, newspapers, and clothing are perfect spots for both rodents and insects to build their nest. At least 21 million homes in the U.S. experience rodent infestations during the winter months, and clutter is a contributing factor. To reduce the high risk of a rodent infestation, make cardboard storage a thing of the past and upgrade to sealed plastic totes.
10. Buying Furniture Used Without Checking it
Bed bugs, cockroaches, and other small pests love to hitchhike and make themselves at home in used sofas, chairs, or beds. Because of this, it is necessary to check any second-hand purchases very thoroughly before moving them into your living space. Also, have all upholstered furniture professionally checked.
Fix The Habits at The Source and Then Call
Eliminating these habits makes your property significantly less attractive to pests. However, in the case of an established infestation, these behavioral changes are necessary but not sufficient to eliminate the infestation. Once you have attempted the measures yourself, professional pest control in Heber City is the best and most reliable next step. A professional and licensed pest control specialist can identify the infestation, eliminate the issue at the source, and, most importantly, implement an established prevention plan before the situation worsens.