How to Keep your Home Pest Free this Winter

As the colder weather moves in, pests and rodents look for nice warm homes to hide in for the winter. You’ve got a nice home… can they move in with you? There are some ways to keep your home pest free. Here are some easy tips on how to keep those critters out.

Do you Already Have Pests?

Getting pests in the home can be disastrous. Moths can eat your clothing and fabrics, powderpost beetles and carpenter ants can damage wood and furniture. Ants can be really annoying while termites can actually damage the structure itself. If you think you may already have pests, don’t waste time. Call the professionals at https://www.moxieservices.com/locations/ so they can help you out before thousands of dollars in damage is done.

Firewood

In the winter, people with wood-burning stoves and fireplaces will bring wood into their homes. Always ensure you buy wood from a reliable source and check that wood you bring into the home doesn’t have any pests in it. To be safe, store wood outside, away from your house to prevent the spread of termites and other bugs.

All that Decorative Barnboard

We are so in to recycling and upcycling wood. It’s great for the environment because you are using an existing material and you’re allowing the carbon that is sequestered in the wood to stay put rather than leaching back into the atmosphere when building material rots. And while we don’t want to put you off reusing wood in your home, please make sure that you check it for any termites and other pests prior to bringing it into your home.

Structural Entry Points

Termites get into homes most often where structural wood comes in contact with the ground. Door frames, deck posts and porch stair all give termites a very convenient entry point into your home.

Mind the Gaps

No house is completely free of holes, gaps and cracks. One way to keep pests out is to seal as many of those gaps as you can. Caulking offers an easy solution that is also inexpensive. Taking time to seal all these small gaps in your building envelope will have the added benefit of reducing heat loss so you pay less to heat your house over the winter.

Wood damage, mud tunnels, and discarded wings are all signs that you have termites. Little piles of dust and small holes where adult beetles emerge will indicate the presence of powderpost beetles. If you see these or other signs that you have pests in your home, contact NJ aptive pestcontrol or a similar company in your area to schedule an inspection and treatment to safeguard your home.