Winter Pest Control: Exterior Inspection, Moisture Removal

While some mistakenly believe that most household pests simply go away during the colder winter in a place like Utah, this simply isn’t true. While it’s indeed correct that you may see fewer insects or certain kinds of pests around the home or property, that’s not because all pests are gone — rather, it’s because many resilient pests are just finding different hiding places or nesting areas than they would during warmer parts of the year. 

At Bug Busters, we’re here to help you prepare for this change in seasons and ensure you aren’t allowing pests safe harbor anywhere in your home or on your property. We offer these services for both homeowners and businesses alike, keeping them pest-free throughout the entire year. Both on your own and potentially with the assistance of our team where needed, what are some top themes to consider while prepping your home during the late fall and early winter period so pests don’t become an issue? This two-part blog series will go over a number of tips.

Exterior Inspection

One of the most common pest behaviors as the weather gets cold: Looking for ways to move inside your home and its warmer temperatures. For this reason, you should take a few minutes to inspect the exterior of your home, paying close attention to any cracks around windows and doors.

Be sure they’re properly sealed and there’s no way for pests to wiggle in and nest during the colder months. Conversely, you should also pay attention to areas where pests may be looking for entry points, such as pipes or even damaged window screens or worn out door screens. Take a look at your exterior security lighting, too — if it’s not working, pests may find the darkness rather inviting, and will try to make their way inside if given the opportunity or seem to be able to come and go with relative ease.

Chimney and Gutter Prep

Two specific exterior areas you should spend some time on are your chimney and your gutter system, both of which can attract pests looking for a safe place to live if they’re not cleaned out. Pests like birds and squirrels may end up living in your chimney, while leaves, twigs, moss or other debris could be clogging gutters.

Remove Moisture

And if this sort of gutter clogging is taking place, you risk water accumulation that will serve as a breeding ground for pests. For this reason, be sure that your gutter system is clear of debris and keep an eye on it to ensure that water flow is working correctly.

For more on how to prevent pest infiltrations in your home or building during the upcoming winter, or to learn about any of our pest control or extermination services, speak to the staff at Bug Busters today.