Protecting Your Home from Animal Invaders

Just like people, animals and bugs are looking for water and ways to get out of the summer heat this time of year.

The best way to deal with pests is to keep them out by blocking all the places that they’re getting in. With tiny things, like ants, that’s a real challenge, but it can be done! Here are ways to recognize when pests are getting into your home, and how to keep them out:

What’s Bugging You?
Because of their size and sheer numbers, insect pests are the biggest challenge for any homeowner, and ants are probably the most common. They want water and food, which  isn’t always possible to keep locked up. They’ll drink out of the smallest drop of water in your sink. 

The best way to deal with ants, or any other insects, is to identify the most likely place they’re getting in and seal any seams, cracks, or holes with caulking. Be sure to clean the area first so that the caulking will stick and penetrate where needed. If they re-route their path, keep caulking. Many other crawling insects, like earwigs, centipedes, millipedes, or roaches, can be stopped the same way.

Also make sure your door sweeps and gaskets are doing their job (which helps keep cool air from leaking out, too). Check your window screens for any damage and make sure they’re fitting properly.

Oh Rats!
Rodents are destructive, annoying, and downright dangerous. Mice and rats, and their droppings, can carry deadly diseases, like bubonic plague and hantavirus. Their nests can also breed the “kissing bug” (Triatominae species), a small beetle whose bite can cause anaphylaxis, a potentially deadly allergic reaction in some people.

Rodents are looking for an easy meal and a place to nest. Keep your food storage sealed in pantries, boxes, and bins, and don’t forget about pet foods and birdseed. Rodent droppings are easy to spot and identify, which help show you how they could be getting in, and where to set traps.

Bats in Your Belfry
You probably don’t have an actual belfry unless you live in an old church, but you probably do have an attic space of some size, and that’s where bats love to nest. They can live in tiny cracks where they rest during the day. They’re good guys, eating literally tons of insects, including mosquitoes, but they also leave a lot of droppings and are carriers of rabies.

If you’ve seen several bats around your house at twilight every evening, you may have some squatters in your attic. During the day, use a strong flashlight to inspect the inside of your attic if there’s a crawlspace, or check under the eaves and inside small cracks. Bats can wedge themselves into a slot as narrow as a half inch. Another clue is their droppings under where they’re nesting. If you do have bats, wait until night before sealing up their nesting area so they’re free to go find someplace else to call home. 

The Fix-It Professionals are here to help keep unwanted animal visitors from invading your home! We can help secure your pantry or pet food storage, repair pest damage, and plug up those places where critters are getting in. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment so you can have peace of mind that squatters won’t be rummaging through your stuff in the night!

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