Spokane in autumn is crisp and cool, while winters are cold and snowy. For this reason, winter is a time when many pests come indoors to avoid the cold. As the temperatures outside drop, your home becomes a sanctuary for pests!
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to avoid pest infestation in your home. By taking steps to fill cracks and seal your house, and by keeping the things that pests need (food and water) away from pests, you can make your house less hospitable. Here’s what you need to know.
Mice
Mice come indoors as temperatures drop. Mice can find their way easily into most homes, either through the crawl space under the house, or by fitting through the space under doors. If your foundation has any cracks, or if your home’s vents aren’t properly covered, mice may even find a way into your house through these avenues.
Once in your home, mice can be very difficult to eliminate. They can make nests in your walls or under warm appliances, and once there, they come out to find food in your pantry and kitchen. The easiest way to manage mice is to stop them from ever coming into your home.
Here’s what you can do to prevent mice from entering your house:
- Seal cracks around your home. Cover vents with screen and keep vents in good repair. Seal cracks with caulk. Use weatherstripping to fill the spaces beneath doors and around windows. Never leave a door or un-screened window sitting open for any length of time.
- Fill holes in the walls with steel wool. Are there parts of your house where pipes protrude from the walls? You might see this under your sink or near your water heater. Fill the gaps between the pipes and the walls with steel wool to prevent mice from moving between your walls and your home’s interior.
- Keep food in mice-proof jars and plastic containers. Mice can chew through cardboard boxes, but they can’t chew through glass or plastic. Keep your food in containers that mice can’t penetrate.
- Clean your kitchen nightly. Take out the trash every night. Never leave dishes in the sink. Sweep the floors every night. Clean your countertops nightly. Performing these small chores can keep mice away by keeping crumbs and other food sources unavailable.
- Avoid attracting mice to your house. Bird feeders that are close to the house, as well as trash cans that are kept around the house, can attract mice. Keep your trash bins closed tightly, and control the number of bird feeders that are close to your house.
Know the signs that your house has mice. Watch for problems like mouse droppings in the cabinets, under the stove or refrigerator and scrabbling sounds in the walls.
You may even see a mouse running from one room to another. If you have mice, call a Spokane rodent pest control company as soon as possible. Mice must be gotten under control quickly, or they will breed and their population will grow.
Spiders
Spider mating season is fall, so you’ll see a lot of spiders in fall and early winter. If the population of spiders outside your house is especially high, then you’ll start to see spiders in your house as well.
The easiest way to control spiders and prevent them from entering your home is to control the population of spiders outside your house. Work with a pest control company to spray your property to control the spiders. If you do see spiders in your home, talk to your spider pest control company. You may need a re-treatment. Other ways to keep spiders out of your house include:
- Caulk any exterior cracks and crevices.
- Weatherstrip your house.
- Get rid of spider webs around your home’s exterior.
- Cover vents with fine mesh.
Boxelder Bugs and Stink Bugs
Boxelder bugs and stink bugs come in seeking shelter and warmth throughout the fall. By winter, they may be settled in your property. They can enter your house through parts of your house like the attic, weep vents, soffits, cracks in the siding, cracks in the foundation and more.
You can prevent boxelder bugs and stink bugs from entering your home by sealing cracks with caulking, inspecting the soffits around your house for cracks and covering holes with fine mesh or screen, and by repairing damaged parts of the house like damaged siding or broken windows.
Stink bugs and boxelder bugs can also enter your house by crawling along tree branches and shrub branches to access cracks that are high up. Prune shrubs and trees to get rid of overhanging branches. Big tree branches should be removed by an arborist or a tree trimming expert, to avoid injury, damage to the house and also damage to the tree. If you are experiencing issues with stink bugs, reach out to an experienced box elder bugs removal company today.
Work With Pest Control Experts to Get Rid of Common Winter Insects Spokane
There are many common winter insects Spokane. While there are many things you can do to prevent them from entering your home, pests can be tricky!
The best way to keep your property pest-free throughout the winter is to work with a reputable pest control company. EcoTek pest control is your source for skilled, effective pest control in Spokane. Call today to make an appointment.
