The weather is hot during our summer and many Orange County homeowners are seeing a high number of insects and rodents around their homes. None of us want to live in a home infested with insects and rodents because they can cause a great deal of damage. They can also be serious vectors of disease.
In the past, when homeowners encountered these problems, many of them would simply go down to the hardware store and buy some of that smelly stuff and spray it everywhere in and around their house. These pesticides would work some of the time but in many cases, their family and pets were unnecessarily exposed to these products.
Times have changed, we’ve grown smarter and we don’t want our children crawling over a floor that has been sprayed with a pesticide. But, we also know that we don’t want bugs inside our homes. This can be very frustrating.
Are you concerned about using pesticides inside your home or business? It may surprise you, but there are many ways in which you can control a lot of these pests without using pesticides. And, you’ll be happy to learn that there are a lot of things you can do yourself – at little or no costs to you. Here are ten tips to help keep your home pest free this summer:
- Control excess moisture. This should always be your first step because water is like a magnet for insect and rodent problems. Check for plumbing leaks, roof leaks, leaky rain gutters, etc. Take a look at the ground around your home and make sure that you aren’t overwatering your lawn and plants. Check your sprinkler system and adjust it if needed. Insects and rodents need a lot of water and if you keep your home as dry as possible, they will find your home a lot less attractive.
- Keep all plants and trees cut back away from your home. You should cut all trees back at least 4 feet away from your home and make sure that none of the tree branches are left hanging over your roof. This one simple step can be a very effective control measure and it will discourage pests from entering your home.
- Remove fruit bearing plants that attract insects and rodents. You may also want to remove other plants that harbor honey-dew producing insects (Fig trees, cherry laurel, bamboo, oleander, etc.).
- Clean up leaf piles and debris from around your home. By doing this, you will eliminate a lot of pest harborage.
- Keep firewood off the ground and store it away from your home. Also, be sure to check for pests before bringing any firewood inside your home.
- Seal up cracks and holes in your home’s exterior walls. This helps to keep pests out of your home and will eliminate places for them to live. Weather stripping around doors and windows will also help to keep pests out.Inspect the screens on your doors and windows and repair them if needed. Screens are a very effective way to keep pests out of your home. While you’re inspecting your home, don’t forget to check the screens on your attic, garage and subarea vents. These screens are especially important because they keep out birds, rodents and small animals.
- Guard against pest invaders by checking incoming items for “hitchhiking” bugs. Many types of pests can be brought in with luggage, laundry and groceries. Take a close look before you bring any flowers or plants into your home because you’ll often find insects living in them.
- Ensure good ventilation in attics, garages and subareas. An effective ventilation system will help keep these areas dry, will naturally reduce the amount of insects and will help to prevent mold and mildew problems.
- Keep food and garbage in tightly fitting containers. This is especially important to do at night because that is when many pests are most active.
You’ll find that you can take these ten tips and solve a lot of pest problems without using any pesticides. Sometimes, you may find that the application of a pesticide is still needed. If this is the case, you should select the least toxic product, use the least amount possible and follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do you have a pest problem that you need help with? Call us at (949) 631-7348 and we’ll be happy to schedule an appointment at your convenience.
