Insect-Proofing from the Outside In

Spring has arrived in Charlotte, and that can only be a good thing. But it does bring a little bad news with it: the bugs are back. If you’re not a fan of creepy crawlies, spring summer and autumn can be a bit of a nightmare. Ants, termites, wasps, cockroaches, spiders, mosquitoes and even bedbugs all get busy as the weather warms up. While this might be fine in the great outdoors, you probably don’t want them in your home. So, how can you stop them?

Deterring Insects from the Outside In

1. Declutter your yard

Bugs need somewhere to live. If they make their home in your yard, it’s an easy step to move on into your home. By decluttering your yard – disposing of old grass clippings, sweeping up fallen leaves, making sure there are no disused piles of pots lying against the house – you can make it less appealing to unwelcome guests. Trimming back vegetation so no leaves or branches are touching your home will also remove direct access for insects.

2. Look at external seals

Your doors and windows may look fine from the inside, but it’s the external parts that take the most punishment. The weather can destroy sealant and rot wood, this provides a perfect ‘in’ for insects.

3. Clear around and check your foundations

Many insects will access a property through the foundations. Allowing debris, such as leaf-litter, to build up makes life very easy for insects. It can also affect the integrity of your foundations, encouraging rot.

4. Attract birds, frogs and lizards to your property

Whether you want to keep chickens or draw in the local wildlife with some feeders or a pond, birds, reptiles and amphibians make excellent insect predators. Chickens are particularly good at getting termites! Lizards, frogs and garden birds will eat a whole range of bugs.

5. Fit window, door and vent screens

Pretty much every insect can be deterred by a fine-meshed screen. Install screens over all entrances and your bug problem will be dramatically reduced.

6. Check internal seals

Cracks around pipework are the perfect entry points for cockroaches and other bugs. Caulking around pipework will seal those gaps, stopping invaders.

7. Keep your home clean and dry

Bugs come into your home for two reasons: shelter and food. But they also need water to drink and many like a damp environment to breed. Insects like ants thrive in kitchens because there’s so much waste food around. Keeping your counters clean and your pantry protected makes your home a lot less attractive to pests. But it doesn’t stop at your kitchen. Vacuuming regularly makes sure that there are no loose crumbs of food anywhere in your house – and can also destroy spider trails. Fixing leaks in plumbing and dripping refrigerators removes access to drinking water.

Try as you might, you probably won’t be able to keep all insects out of your home all of the time. Some, you’ll be able to handle alone. Others can become a problem pretty quickly. If you need help getting rid of an insect infestation, know when to ask for help. Noosa Pest Management can take care of any pest problem that you might have. Please visit our contact page for a quote, or our customer service team would be delighted to take your call: 704-499-9922