Bad Habits to Break in the New Year to Prevent Pests

Every New Year’s Eve, Canadians resolve to improve their health, save more money, and to lose weight. But, there’s one resolution you don’t hear a lot about: getting serious about preventing pestsinfestation in and around your home.

We all make dozens of resolutions for the New Year: to exercise more, to eat healthier foods, to save more money, to reduce clutter, to be more eco-conscious – you know how the list keeps growing! Here is one resolution you’ve probably never thought of that can improve your health, increase your savings and make both your home and your environment cleaner: develop habits that help to pest-proof your home.

We’re not talking about buying ant traps in the summer and glancing around for signs of rodent droppings or birds’ nests. These are all steps you take after the fact, once an infestation has started. As experts in pest control in the Vancouver, BC area for more than 30 years, we’ve gone through many homes and businesses finding the points in the structure where pests get in and seen how they thrive. What we’ve learned is that it’s best and easiest on your to pest-proof your home before pests begin creeping and crawling in your attics, crawlspaces, and between the walls. These pest-preventing habits will help:

· Protect you from the health risks that pests bring, from allergies and asthma to infectious diseases such as hantavirus, LCM (lymphocytic choriomeningitis) and Well’s disease.
· Save you money on the extermination services required once an infestation has begun

· Keep your home more naturally pest-free

4 Pest-Preventing Habits You Can Apply Today

Here are some pro tips for pest control from your Vancouver exterminators at Pest Detective:

· Secure your trash — Mice, rats, and other rodents have a highly developed sense of smell. Rodents are among the best-adapted species in terms of “putting their nose to the grindstone” and sniffing out food sources for their always-expanding families. If you don’t secure your trash cans with tight-fitting, pest-proof lids, you are essentially putting up a flashing neon “open” sign inviting raccoons, skunks, and other pests. Pests and their very clever noses know there is a connection between your trash and your home. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep all trash at least 15 to 20 feet away from your home.

· Seal up the holes in your home — Many homeowners make the mistake of not seeing holes and cracks in their homes the same way pests would see them — as open invitations. One of the most destructive pests, the Pacific dampwood termite, can fit into cracks as narrow as a credit card. You can test to see how pest-proof your home’s siding and foundation are by inserting a fondue skewer into any holes or cracks you see. If the skewer passes through easily, be sure to seal it up.

· Keep woodpiles raised and away from your home — Ants and termites love the shelter and rotting fibres firewood piles provide. To keep your woodpile from becoming a pest hotel, keep firewood off the ground with a pallet, tarp it during the spring and summer, rotate the woodpile, and try to keep it a good distance from your home.

· Sweep and clean your home regularly — One of the best ways to keep pests out of your home is to rinse off dinner plates at the end of every meal and sweep and clean your home regularly. Also be sure to take out the trash daily to keep any lingering food smells out of your home.

…And a Bonus Fifth Habit!

Be vigilant. Be aware. As you do your regular housekeeping, check for the signs of an infestation, such as chewed wires, piles of sawdust, droppings, insect carcasses and so on. Hire the Pest Detective at the first sign of a pest infestation and you will save yourself money and embarrassment. Keeping pests (and the diseases they carry) away from your home, pets, and family, help to keep all of you happy. For a wonderful 2018, strive to be more wealthy, healthy, and happy — call us for wintertime pest control in Maple Ridge, throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland!