It’s wintertime. Temperatures are cooling, so you’re spending way more time inside. Unfortunately, pests are looking for a place to warm up, as well. Bugs and rodent populations soar during this time of year, so it’s important to stay vigilant in order to avoid them invading your space this season. Read on to learn five helpful tips for winter pest control.

1. Clean your leaves

Leafy places like lawns and gutters are attractive places for animals to make their homes and breed. Raking your lawn and cleaning out your gutters keeps these critters looking elsewhere for nesting places.

2. Banish food and crumbs

Food scraps, crumbs, and dirty dishes are an invitation for unwanted intruders to feast. Try vacuuming crumbs, wiping down counters, storing food in airtight containers, and soaking dirty dishes in a soapy sink to avoid attracting bugs and rodents.

3. Beware of your firewood supply

Firewood absorbs moisture, making it a popular hangout for roaches, carpenter ants, beetles, and spiders. Keeping your firewood further to 20′ away from your home and at least 5′ high can keep these bugs at bay. Inspect your firewood for insect activity before bringing it inside.

4. Inspect your perimeter

Keep pests from entering your home by sealing up points of entry, like holes and cracks. Pay special attention to crevices that might open up near exterior pipes that enter your home. Installing a screen vent in your chimney, replacing worn weatherstripping, repairing wood soft spots, and trimming branches to keep them from touching your house can also help keep uninvited animals out.

5. Eliminate excess moisture

Oriental cockroaches and other creepy crawlers like moisture and dampness and often flock to leaky pipes and clogged drains. Check the pipes in the basement, bathroom, and under your kitchen and laundry room sinks and fix any leaks or clogs.

Need help with winter pest control?

At Cardinal Lawns, we’ve seen it all. Call us at 614-808-4446 to schedule a home inspection or administer preventative measures to keep animals out. If we find any evidence of pest activity, we’ll act fast to keep pests outside where they belong!