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Keep Pests Out Of Your Home
Without Using Chemicals
by Tim Taylor
Keeping insects and other pests out of your home can sometimes be a
chore. In the warm months of the year they are so persistent. They just
keep coming back. Well, just follow these guidelines and you will
probably keep at least 90% of them out.
Even spraying chemicals will not keep all of them away. But this is a
pretty simple procedure. It's what I do at my home and it usually works.
First of all, most pests come from the outside. I've said that before
but I'm saying it again. Most pests come from the outside. Whether it be
roaches, ants, spiders, crickets, rat, mice, etc. Unless you bring them
home from the grocery store (weevils, flour beetles, Indian meal moths)
or someone else brings them into your home when they are visiting
(German roaches) then this is a surefire way to stop them on the outside
first.
It’s really a simple procedure but you will need a few things first.
Pick up some caulk at your local hardware store or home center. You may
also need some of that thin sheet metal and some sheet metal cutters.
All of the items are very inexpensive. A lot cheaper than hiring a
professional or buying chemicals yourself.
Take a walk around the outside of your home. Check all around your
windows and doors for entry points. See all or those cracks and
crevices. Take the caulk and caulk around all of your windows and doors
and any other place you think that insects may be entering. It doesn't
take a very large space for a tiny insect to enter. Even if you think
the crack is too small, caulk it anyway.
Those weep holes in your brick. Don't seal them. Just find some fine
mesh screen or maybe steel wool and stuff in the weep holes. Keep all
shrubs and trees from touching your home. Trim all hedges and shrubs
away from your home about a foot or more.
Now take a look around the outside of your home for places you may think
rats or mice may be entering. It doesn't take but 1/4 inch for a mouse
and 1/2 inch for a rat to enter. Check around the air conditioning unit.
See where the lines enter your home. There is usually a small space that
is not sealed. Try using some steel wool or some sheet metal cut the
right size to seal this.
Don't use that spray on foam that expands. Rats can chew right through
this.
If you are able, climb upon the roof. Check for places rats can enter. A
rat can climb straight up a brick wall or come from a tree and get on
your roof. Check around where the sofits may meet. Or one roof meet
another or one section meets another section. There is usually a small
space where rats may enter. Seal these areas with sheet metal or steel
wool. No matter how many traps you put in your attic and how many rats
you catch, if you don't seal these areas, more rats will enter.
Those twirling vents on your roof that turn by the wind are just entry
places for rats. You don't have to remove them. Just go into your attic
and place some screen across the bottom of the vents. You can use
staples or nails.
Now let’s start on the inside. Just like the outside, use the caulk
around all doors and windows on the inside. Small spiders can enter
around windows. Check under the window seal and seal this with caulk.
Now check under all sinks. See where the pipes come through. There is
usually a space around the pipes where mice, rats, spiders, roaches and
other insects can enter. Seal these spaces with steel wool or sheet
metal.
Just a little caulk, sheet metal, screen and steel wool and you have
insect and rodent proofed your home, and without chemicals. The best
defense is Exclusion!
About the author
Tim Taylor has been in the pest control industry for 11 years and has
treated many homes for insects and other pests. To find out more,
subscribe to his newsletter and receive a free insect identification
guide, please visit his web site
http://www.infobreaks.com
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