3 Ways To “Pest Winterize” Your House

Rick DeDonato, Marketing Director, Royal Pest Solutions
Author: Pipsie Nature Detective
Nature-loving guy

Winter cold means that mice, squirrels and insects are looking for a nice warm place to set up home for a few months.

They don’t need much: 

• shelter
• food
• water

Sound like anyplace you know?

How about your house! 

These creatures can find many ways to get inside your house: A crack in the foundation; a tiny space around pipes or wires that come into your home; the vent into your attic. If there’s a way in, they will find it.

If you give your home a good
inspection, you’ll find them too. And when you do, fix them.
It’s a lot easier to keep insects and small animals out of your home than it is to get them out.

We’re going to help.

Here are some places around your home where nuisance insects such as stink bugs and ants enter. Also, places where dangerous small
animals like squirrels and mice come in and set up nests.

This is what you can do to keep them outside where they belong. 

1. Seal gaps around your doors and windows.

I’m sure it’s not the first time you’ve heard this. And it’s really quite simple. Yet it’s something people put off doing until it’s too cold. . .or too late. I’m guessing that you already have the  caulking gun and tubes of caulking in your house right now. Load the gun, find the cracks, scrape out any old, crusty caulk and seal it up.

2. Fill in the holes around pipes and wires that come into your home.

While you have that caulking gun in your hands, walk back to where your central air conditioner is, or where the cable wires come into your home. Is the seal around them tight? If not, expect to have a visit from a family of mice this winter. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of your pinky.  There are different materials you can use so ask your hardware store for something that will seal around pipes.  If all you have is caulk, it’s better than nothing. Just fill those gaps around the pipes or wires.

It’s a good idea to do this INSIDE your home, too, the other side where the pipes and wires come in.

2. Screen attic vents!

Squirrels have babies twice a year: Spring and Fall. They look for safe, sheltered areas to build their nests.

Your attic is a perfect winter home.

Squirrels love to chew. They do damage by chewing insulation and pretty much anything you have up there. That includes electrical wires, creating a dangerous situation that you can’t see!

This will take some work but it’s worth it. Go into your attic and put a strong screen on the back side of your attic vents.  Squirrels get inside by chewing holes from the outside, usually above gutters, where dormers meet the roof line, by chewing corners of trim or any other area where the wood is weak. Keeping your gutters clean helps keep your wood from rotting.

While you’re walking around the house, look up at your chimney. Does it have a chimney cap?
It should. It will prevent squirrels, raccoons and bats from getting inside or falling into your chimney. These are just three things you can do to “Pest Winterize” your home. There are lots more but start here.

Animals are a wonderful part of nature but they belong outdoors. Keep your home and family safe
by doing what you can to keep these creatures in their habitat.