Preventing Pest Infiltration: Tips to Keep the Bad Things Away, Indoors and Out

The best pest control is preventing pest infiltration. The pest that never arrives in or around your house in the first place is the one you won’t need professional action to deal with.

Insects and vermin don’t choose your home at random. You’ve made something available that they need to survive. Take away the attraction or close off access to it, and you can prevent pest infiltration before it occurs.

Here are some tips for positive preventive action both indoors and outdoors.

Indoors

• Don’t allow standing water in or around the premises. Repair plumbing leaks promptly. Don’t leave water under houseplants or in the drip pan under your refrigerator. In the event of spills, remove water soaked materials immediately.
• Store food in glass or plastic containers and keep the kitchen free of crumbs and spills. Don’t leave pet food out for long periods and tightly cover kitchen garbage containers.
• Seal cracks and gaps in your home’s structure with caulking and weatherstripping. Place screens on floor drains, doors and windows.
• Eliminate clutter such as old newspapers, boxes and paper bags.
• Use vet-recommended flea prevention techniques to control fleas and ticks on pets.

Outdoors

• Clear away hiding places such as piles of decomposing wood or rubbish. Remove diseased plants, rotting trees and fallen fruit. Keep fallen leaves to a minimum by regular raking and immediately disposing of the leaf piles.
• Dispose of pet droppings, litter or garbage promptly.
• Eliminate puddles or any other source of stagnant water. Verify that gutters and drain pipes are intact and discharge water away from the house.
• Maintain a healthy lawn and landscape that can successfully resist insect infiltration. Water adequately and minimize weed growth with mulch or other ground cover materials.

In Palm Beach and Broward counties, Haggerty Pest Services is your established local source for both pest prevention and control. Ask us about an evaluation of your home to protect against pest infiltration today.

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