Insect Protection: Bug Proof Your Home Like a Pro

Keeping bugs out of your home is no small task. However, there are many things you could do to try and pest-proof your home, from the outside in.

Here are eight simple steps on how you could keep your home pest-free.

Outside Your Home

Holes in the wall

Holes in the wall can form as the foundation begins to settle, creating cracks in the brick and sheetrock that are large enough for an entire family of birds to nest in. Look in the corners of the closets and laundry room for cracks, and perform a visual inspection on the outside of the house for any faults in the brick.

One of the most vulnerable areas is the holes where appliances are plugged in, especially in water lines behind the refrigerator and washing machine.

Keeping your backyard clean

Though you can’t eliminate insects from your yard—nor should you for ecological reasons—you could limit their stay by removing the tree limbs, grass clippings, shrubs, and other paraphernalia from your space.

Natural predators

Small insects are the main source of food for a large number of birds and bats. Warblers and swallows, in particular, are potent mosquito killers.

To encourage birds to help with your pest control efforts, it helps to provide trees and bushes where they can establish nests. Add a freshwater supply, like a birdbath, and change it often so that it doesn’t grow stagnant.

If you want to keep beneficial insects for your garden, planting flowers could also attract parasitic wasps that prey on other bugs, and attract ladybugs that could help kill off aphids and other plant-killing bugs.

Store firewood away from the house

Even though it’s outdoors, a firewood stack is a haven for every sort of crawler and otherwise stagnant bug on the planet. The worst place for those little guys to be is living up against your home, eating away at the lining of your house, and crawling through the foundation while you sleep.

Stack it up against the fence on the other side of the yard, invest in a firewood holder that you can place somewhere else, or, at the very least, get a bag to completely enclose it while it’s sitting in the yard. Keep this wood at least five feet away from your house and, if you can, keep it off the ground.

Inside Your Home

Doors and windows

Check to make sure your doors are closing all the way; if not, get that fixed ASAP. Bottom door seals are cheap and help keep bugs out and eliminate drafts in the home.

Add screens to all of your windows. You want to ensure that all openings are taken care of, including ventilation openings.

Repair leaks

Water tends to encourage pests. Pipes beneath the sink or in the bathroom could be leaky.  If they are, call the plumber. Places like basements and attics can be damp. If you find excessive moisture in these areas, consider a dehumidifier.

Clean regularly

Make your home as inhospitable as possible: when you put the snacks away, the party is over. Pests are no different — they came to grub, so keep food in sealed containers or the refrigerator.

Keeping your home clean is the best way to keep pests away, especially in the kitchen where crumbs and other potential threats lurk.

Store trash properly

Just as one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, the trash cans in a home can be a gourmet smorgasbord to cockroaches and other pests. To prevent bugs from feasting on your trash, proper storage and handling are critical.

On days you don’t feel like tossing the trash, make sure your bins are covered or even sealed.