Tis the season to welcome guests from far and wide into your home for the holidays. Well, some guests are more unwelcome than others. We’re talking about pests. Bugs, rodents, and other creatures looking for a warm place full of food and dark corners to hide. So, let’s talk about winter pest prevention to keep these unwanted guests out and the holiday cheer in.

What Winter Brings

When winter comes around you may not see as many flying insects, but there are still creatures crawling on the ground. Mice, cockroaches, and spiders may have enjoyed the outdoors over the summer, but now they’re looking for a place to stay warm. Don’t let it be your house.

There are some preventative measures you can take to keep these pests out. Why? Because there’s more to worry about than creepy, crawly creatures around your home. Rodents and cockroaches can carry disease and certain spiders are known to bite. They can contaminate your food and thank you buy chewing wires, scattering droppings, and scaring poor Aunty Mary when appearing from under the cabinet. If you don’t want to prevent pests for yourself, do it for Aunty Mary.

Winter Pest Prevention

Preventing pests can be as easy as storing firewood away from the home or as involved as properly screening your chimney vent. Use this as a checklist to help ensure pests don’t have a way to access the indoors.

• Seal any cracks, holes, and small openings around your home. Pay close attention to breaks around windows, doors, utility pipes, and attic vents.
• Keep firewood at least 20 feet from your home. Rodents and insects nest in wood piles, so not only is it easy access if the door is nearby, but they can also hitch a ride on your way in.
• Declutter storage areas. A packed attic, basement, garage, or shed is a prime location for rodents looking for a warm place to hide.
• Remove excess moisture. Cockroaches prefer dark, warm, moist areas. Fix those leaky pipes, clogged drains, and any dark area of the kitchen or bathroom they can hide.
• Keep attics, basements, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

If you’ve checked all these boxes (then checked them twice) and still find yourself with a pest problem, it’s time to call in the pros. Contact Cardinal Lawns for a consultation and to thoroughly inspect your home for other possible perimeter problems. Once the pests are gone you can focus on enjoying a healthy, happy season.