Many homeowners along the Wasatch front deal with a variety of household pests on a regular basis—black widows and other spiders, boxelder bugs, ants, wasps, and yellow jackets, for example. And while pest infestation may seem like a natural part of homeownership here in Utah, the good news is there are a variety of ways to manage and prevent pest infestation in your home. Follow four key steps to manage pests and prevent them from entering your home:
- Hire a pest control specialist
- Seal your windows and doors
- Trim trees and shrubs that are near your home
- Deep clean your home
1. Hire a pest control specialist.
First things first—you’ll want to have your home professionally treated by a pest control specialist. This will keep your pest problem from escalating further as you work to reduce pest infestation. A pest control specialist will spray inside and around your home to prevent bugs and insects from moving inside.
For best results, go with a pest control specialist who offers multiple treatments within peak season for pests. Stewart’s, for example, performs four applications during the spring, summer, and fall when bugs and insects are the most active. We also offer free resprays between regular treatments as needed.
2. Seal your windows and doors.
You’ll need to check your windows and doors each year to ensure they can keep out bugs. Refer to this checklist when examining your home:
- Check for drafts near and cracks in the caulking of doorways and windows
- Re-caulk any cracks
- Check your windowpanes for rattling
- Reseal your windows with new putty
Do a thorough inspection of the doors and windows throughout your home. Do you notice any drafty areas or breaks in the caulking? If so, consider recaulking that window or door. This is usually as simple as removing the old caulk and applying new caulk.
Be sure to inspect the windowpanes on your windows as well. Do they rattle when you tap them? If so, this means that the putty there has aged, which has loosened the seal. Reseal your windows (if necessary) to eliminate any entrance points for bugs and insects.
3. Trim your trees.
Next, you’ll want to trim the trees and shrubs near your home. Bugs and insects thrive in trees and shrubs, so trimming them will help disturb their homes and make it less likely they will move inside.
As you trim your trees and shrubs, be sure to clear away all debris and leaves because pests could also be lurking there.
4. Deep clean your home.
Finally, deep cleaning your home can help you eliminate any pest infestation you may already have. And don’t worry—you can focus on just a few aspects of home cleaning to be effective here. You’ll want to do the following:
- Eliminate clutter
- Vacuum all floors and corners
- Tidy up the areas where you store food
- Repair leaky pipes and clean up areas where moisture gathers
If you’re looking for reliable, year-round pest control, call or text our office at 801-226-2261 for a free quote today!