Pest Control Tips Before and After a Hurricane Hits

We dodged the bullet after Hurricane Dorian. But we’re still in the middle of hurricane season. Here are some tips on what to do if a major storm hits…

- Dry everything. Use fans and crank up the air conditioner. Dehumidifiers can help significantly. Make sure to check for leaking pipes and fix those right away. If the carpet has become nearly or completely saturated or you see water under tiles, remove them. Drywall that that has absorbed water should also be discarded. Bugs love wet places.

- Ants are always a concern in Florida, but they can become a big hazard in flooded conditions. To survive flooding, ants cling together and form floating rafts. They can float for weeks on flood waters. Ants looking to escape the higher levels of water and wet soil are also likely to seek refuge in your home.

- Mosquito activity spikes significantly in the days and weeks after a hurricane. If they only need a tablespoon of water to breed, imagine all that standing water after a storm! Mosquitoes can spread West Nile and Zika viruses, among other harmful diseases. Whether you’re clearing fallen palm fronds or walking the dog, make sure you’re wearing protective clothing and EPA-approved insect repellents that contain active ingredients of DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Your animals should be protected as well. Click here for some good tips on natural dog mosquito repellents.

- Repair cracks on the exterior of your home, fix torn door and window screens. Rodents seek shelter during a storm. Don’t let them use your home or commercial building as sanctuary. A small rat can get through a hole half the the size of a dime.

- Be sure your doors are sealed. If you examine your doors, you’d be surprised at how many gaps there are between the bottom and the floor. A door sweep will close the gap between the threshold and the actual door. And to completely seal the door, you can add weather stripping around the door with chalk where it meets the door. You may need to seal your windows too.

- Keep your gutters and storm drains free of debris. Don’t let them become a place for critters to nest and for stagnate water to breed mosquitoes.

Inspect your property year-round for any cracks, crevices, or windows that can be entry points for all kinds rodents and bugs. Haggerty Pest Control’s specialists will help our South Florida clients perform thorough inspections upon request as part their service contracts.