10 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Insect Free
With more than 91,000 insect species in the U.S. and greater than 20,000 species of insects in Oregon alone, it may seem like an uphill battle to keep these nettlesome critters out of your home. After all, as we’re coming into the summer season and swinging those doors open and opening windows to let the warm fresh air in, our homes will become even more vulnerable to bug intrusions.
You may be having nightmares of creep-crawly things in your cupboards or insects burrowing in your flour or cake mix. Perhaps you have visions of rodents taking over your basement or menacing bugs flying around your young child while he’s playing in the living room on a warm summer day.
Did you also know that insect – or termite infestations can cause serious damage to your Salem home, including dry rot, which may require professional dry rot repair services?
3Rs Construction & Remodeling is your professional contractor in Salem, Oregon! Our team can ensure safety and precision when it comes to repairing major damage from termites and other pests.
So, what can you do to keep your home insect free?
Here, we will look at 10 simple ways that you can keep your home insect free and prevent pest damage – even during the warm summer months when the doors and windows will frequently be open – so you can live in harmony with nature but not be terrorized by pesky pests in your home.
1) Seal Your Doors
Think of your door as a barricade or security shield for all types of intruders. A properly sealed door will keep out unwanted pests. If you look carefully at your entranceways, you may notice unsealed gaps, each of which makes for an easy entrance path for bugs.
Keep insects from crawling under your door by installing a sturdy steel or aluminum threshold under the door. For superior protection, combine this with a door sweep. A sweep is a cheap device that you’ll find at many hardware stores, and it helps to cover the gap between a threshold and the door bottom. You can even select nylon brush sweeps over vinyl or neoprene because they provide better protection against bugs.
2) Store Firewood Away From Your Home
Despite being outdoors, a stack of firewood is a haven for many types of insects. If you need evidence, try lifting a piece of wood that has been on the ground for a while, and you’re guaranteed to see plenty of insect life living underground.
The worst place for these pests is to be living up against your home and siding, eating away at the lining of your house, and crawling through the foundation while you’re unaware of what is happening. You want to prevent any chance of termite damage in your home.
The simplest remedy for this is to move the firewood pile. Stack it up against the fence on the other side of the yard. You might even invest in a firewood holder that you place somewhere else, or at minimum, get a bag to completely enclose it while it is sitting in your yard.
A good general rule to live by is to keep the firewood at least five feet away from your home and off the ground if that’s possible.
Contact 3Rs Construction & Remodeling, if you need help making your home insect and pest free. We are your trusted local contractor in Salem, OR!
3) Vacuum Your House
You should already include this in your cleaning routine, but make sure you vacuum your floors at least once a week to get rid of the insects that have invaded your house without you being aware of it.
Vacuuming will do away with the cobwebs in the corners, bug droppings, and food crumbs that attract bugs to the inside of your home. It will keep your home neat and tidy and help to maintain an insect-free home.
4) Add Screens
With the onset of summer, you will be opening doors and windows to let fresh air into your home. Natural ventilation is soothing and, in many cases, a welcome relief, especially during times when the weather is hot and humid. However, summer is also the worst time of the year for fleas, mosquitos, and other pests to invade your home.
You can resolve this issue by installing screens in your windows and doors. For example, choose a 20-mesh or finer screen to keep out the most common household pests.
Keep in mind that bugs can get through the smallest of holes or tears in screens. You can add a coat of household cement or clear nail polish to seal a hole and prevent insect entry.
5) Repair Leaky Faucets
Practically all types of bugs are attracted to water. So, if you have a leaky faucet in your home, it is very likely that you’ll see these troublesome creatures congregating in your bathroom or kitchen or wherever the problem sink is located.
Instead of initially calling a plumber, go to your local hardware store and grab the following tools: a wrench and some vinegar.
Then take the following steps:
- Turn off the water to the pipe itself.
- Unscrew the line to the faucet.
- Remove all the parts, including the washer, seal, moveable parts, etc.
- Soak them in a bath of vinegar for a few hours.
- Dry them all thoroughly.
- Put them back on the pipe.
- Turn on the water.
Now, that will be one less problem area to deal with.
Looking for an experienced Salem home contractor to repair damage created by pests or dry rot in your home? Contact 3Rs Construction & Remodeling today for a FREE quote!
6) Maintain a Dry Home
As you may already know, water damage is an expensive and frustrating problem to contend with. It can lead to serious damage, not least of which is dry rot. You could quickly find yourself dealing with a major insect infestation problem if your home has excess water or water damage.
You’re advised to thoroughly examine your house, particularly where pipes are installed, to be sure none of them is leaking. While a pipe may crack from extreme temperature differences, another factor can be age. That means if you live in an older home, you need to be especially vigilant.
You will also want to check the caulk around your bathtubs and the shower to be sure they are draining correctly. Be aware that even absent standing water, bugs, and insects thrive in moist environments. That is why keeping your home as dry as possible is a good idea.
7) Keep Your Kitchen Clean
The last thing you want to see in your kitchen is a line of ants crawling on your countertop. Sealing the hole that they came in through might be a quick fix, but thoroughly cleaning the kitchen is the best way to help ensure your home is insect free.
Make sure you don’t leave out food that bugs will be attracted to. Don’t have pools of water on the counter. Cover all of your foodstuffs with closeable containers and rinse off the dishes in the sink.
Check for food that sits out that may have spoiled, such as fruit and vegetables. Taking these small steps can go a long way toward preventing a bug infestation in your kitchen.
8) Perform Spot Checks
Make sure you keep pests out of your home by taking preliminary precautions. For example, be on the lookout for signs of an infestation in certain key areas of the home. Perform frequent checks around your house, focusing on problem areas.
Look in the areas where insects tend to hang out, like the following places:
- Attics
- Basements
- Laundry rooms
- Behind big appliances
- The garage
- Decks & patios
Take note of these problem areas and stay vigilant. It’s easier to prevent major bug problems than to have to react to an infestation that has gotten out of control and will likely require professional help and be costly to resolve.
3Rs Construction & Remodeling, can help you find and repair any problem areas that may have gotten out of control from pests or insect infestations. Call us today!
9) Clean Up Your Yard
One of the most effective ways to ensure you have an insect free home is to regularly clean up your yard. You won’t eliminate bugs from your yard, but the goal is to make your property as inhospitable to bugs as possible.
Steps you can take to repel insects in your yard include removing tree limbs, grass clippings, shrubs, and other paraphernalia from your space.
Think of it this way: you want to eliminate anything that gives shelter to pests that could end up in your home.
10) Be Aware of What You Bring into Your Home
We are so focused on where we are coming and going that we may not realize what we’re bringing into our homes, especially when it comes to pests. In addition to groceries or packages, you inadvertently may be harboring ticks or other critters that latch onto you or your pets as you enter your home.
Be mindful of what unwanted guests you are bringing into your home. Pests might be hiding, sometimes unknowingly, on anything. For example, ticks could quickly grab onto animals or clothing, and bed bugs can stow away in your luggage. You’ll want to carefully inspect everything you bring into your house to be sure to keep all pests out.
Trust 3Rs Construction & Remodeling with Dry Rot Repair for Your Salem Home
Do you have significant dry rot damage due to termites or other insects that have invaded your home? At 3Rs Construction & Remodeling, we have the experience and expertise to repair dry rot in your Salem house.
Our team at 3Rs Construction will help you make informed and efficient decisions about how the dry rot repairs should be completed. 3Rs Construction & Remodeling is here to help you with dry rot repair and restoration as your trusted contractor in Salem, Oregon.
Call us at (503) 363-1059, so we can get started on your dry rot repair today!