As the leaves begin to change and the temperatures prepare to plummet, pests throughout Spokane are preparing themselves to enter your home. There is a range of common pests that routinely make their presence known, often waiting until the colder months to become more prevalent in our lives. While we understand the importance of pests within the food chain, they don’t need to be in our homes.
Today, we are going to take a closer look at how you can winterize your home against the most common pests and rodents of Washington.
Common Winter Pests of Spokane
Residents throughout the state of Washington understand that winter pests can become quite problematic. Whether it is a rodent scaring us by running across the kitchen or a cockroach bringing in potentially dangerous pathogens, it is important to know what we are up against.
Here is a brief look at the most common pests we will be addressing while we winterize our homes.
While long, this is far from an exhaustive list. Keep a sharp eye out for hints that pests may be invading your area. If you want to rest easy knowing that professional technicians have seen your space, consider calling on the team at EcoTek Pest Control for an inspection.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
The best way to winterize your home against pests is to prevent them from ever calling your home their own. To do this, we can take a handful of preventative steps that are sure to keep even the most ardent home invaders at bay.
Eliminate Potential Habitats
Surprise, surprise. Pets can be just as lazy and opportunistic as us! When pests don’t have to work hard to find a place to live, they’ll be sure to set up shop. Take some time to scrounge around the exterior of your home. Take a moment to remove any potential habitats that a pest might find hospitable: moist areas, places that are warmed and covered, and any areas where debris has accumulated.
Common habitats to target include:
- Open Trash Cans
- Rock and Compost Piles
- Clogged Gutters and Downspouts
Consider New Insulation
There are few improvements to your home that will make as tangible a difference as the installation of new insulation. Insulating your home will not only add a layer between you and the cold Washington winter, but it will put another barrier against potential pests. Consider hiring a company to install insulation with borate, an ingredient known to be safe for humans but toxic to insects. You’ll get to heat up your home while keeping pests out of it. Not bad, right?
Seal Cracks and Holes
Take a moment to walk around your home. Do you see any cracks in your foundation? These cracks and divots in the foundation of our home make for an easy entrance into your living space. As the temperatures continue to drop and the cool winter air takes over our day-to-day experience, pests will look for new ways to stay warm. Don’t let your foundation turn into the entrance to their new home!
While sealing your foundation is a great start to keeping pests at bay, it isn’t where you should stop. Use this same mindset to look throughout the interior of your home, paying special attention to any potential damage to exterior-facing walls. Take some time to look through your attic and basement during this process.
As you seal up any potential cracks and holes in your home, take stock of potential signs of pests. Droppings are the most overt indicator that you might have a rodent issue.
Seal All Food In Your Home
While the cold keeps us in our home, it also drives those pesky pests to join us for a meal or two. We can keep the worst of most pest invasions at bay by simply taking better care of our food and waste products. Make sure that you do not leave food sitting out, opting instead to seal it away in a container for storage.
To take this concept one step further, also be sure to seal up any garbage inside and outside of your home. Buy a trash can with a sealed lid to keep external pests away. Many rats and rodents need only a hint of food waste to keep them coming back for more.
Contact EcoTek Pest Control Today!
Between the holiday season and your day-to-day life, the last thing you want to deal with is a pest infestation. Keep your home in Spokane, WA, free from pests this season by calling the team at EcoTek Pest Control!
Family-owned and locally-operated, EcoTek Pest Control provides business owners and homeowners throughout Eastern Washington with effective and environmentally-friendly pest control treatment plans.
