Buying a new home is an exciting and thrilling adventure. However, there’s nothing as disheartening as moving into your new house only to find mice, bugs, and rodents running around. Fortunately, there are steps you can take as a new homeowner to ensure your space is pest-proof and pest-free.
To help you get started, here are some pest control tips for new homeowners.
1. Schedule a pest inspection
Generally, the law requires house sellers to notify you of any pest problems, current or historic. However, you can never fully trust a seller to be honest with you about pest infestations as they may undermine the problem.
Therefore, before settling into your new house, schedule a pest infestation with a professional pest control company to identify potential pest breeding problems. This way, you can know what actions to take to eliminate and keep pests away.
2. Deep clean your home
Cleaning a new house before moving in is a no-brainer. But, ensure it’s a deep clean to eliminate any potential hiding places for pests. You should also clean the outside of your home by removing leaves from your foundation, branches and twigs from your gutters, and debris from your yard.
3. Seal cracks and openings
Sealing common entry points such as siding joints, doors, and windows is a great way to keep pests from invading your home. Remember, pests can go through the smallest cracks and crevices, so don’t underestimate any tiny openings, including the spaces around pipes and wirings to your home.
You can seal cracks with caulk or use wire mesh to cover the openings in your vents.
4. Maintain your yard
Yard maintenance can go a long way in keeping pests away from your new home. For instance, trimming overhanging tree limbs and cutting back shrubs that touch your house ensures wildlife cannot easily access your home.
If you have firewood or mulch in your yard, keep them far away from your foundation as they’re potential harboring grounds for pests such as termites. Also, check them often for pest infestation and ensure they’re dry.
5. Remove standing water
Standing water creates a humid environment, which most pests love, especially mosquitos. Therefore check your gutters, faucets, and birdbaths for any stagnant water and remove them to keep pests away. For your gutters, ensure they direct water away from your foundation and aren’t clogged.
6. Ventilate your home
Attics, basements, and garages are common pest breeding places as they’re poorly ventilated and don’t normally experience high foot traffic. That’s why it’s essential to ventilate these places to lower their humidity, eliminating the moist environment that pests prefer.
To ventilate your home, make sure your air conditioner runs often and its filters are changed frequently. You can also install ventilation fans or use a dehumidifier.
7. Bring in a professional
If you don’t want to do any guesswork with your pest control, hire a professional. They have the experience and training required to identify and treat pest infestations, regardless of the severity.