One of the advantages to living in Florida is our tropical weather – winter arrives much later for us. On the other hand, most of the pests that live here are warm weather pests that seek shelter once cooler weather does arrive. Unfortunately, that shelter they find is all too often a human’s home. Today, we’re here to provide tips on how to winterize your home against all sorts of pests.
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Leave The Spiders Alone
It does seem counter-intuitive to spare what most homeowners consider a pest, and a scary one at that. Unless the spiders in your home are one of Florida’s poisonous varieties, they are valuable natural pest control tool. Spiders eat a lot of smaller pests that are more difficult to eradicate in exchange for a minuscule space in a home that probably isn’t being used anyway. In fact, most pest control companies won’t remove spiders from a home unless they pose a serious threat to the inhabitants.
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Seal The Attic Of Your Home
Many homeowners forget to winterize their attic. It is not a main living space so why should it matter? Well the attic is an access point for the rest of the house, especially otherwise hard to reach places. Issues such as bug colony in the walls or squirrels in the insulation usually stem from an unsealed attic. Additionally, many HVAC units have some parts up in the attic that are highly accessible for a determined pest.
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Eliminate Any Existing Pest Issues Before Winter Starts
This tip may seem a little obvious. However, most homeowners do not understand just how rapidly certain pests can multiply given the right conditions. Pests hide in harder to reach places in the winter in order to stay warm. If a small nest turns into an infestation, it will be much more difficult to access the home in order to eliminate them. The smartest option is to contact a pest control expert who can complete a full inspection of a home. This allows experts and homeowners to identify problems and remove or eliminate any nests that are just waiting to grow in size.
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Keep Unused Firewood Out Of Your Home
Firewood provides a dry little place in your home for woodland pests to sequester themselves. Especially in Florida, pests can easily multiply in firewood with no supervision. This is because most homeowners with fireplaces in Florida only need a single bundle of firewood to get through the winter. Some of those logs may sit there for months with homeowners none the wiser to an imminent infestation.
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Trim Back The Plants And Trees Around Your Home
As plants die during the winter, they become the perfect food and nesting place for pests. To winterize, you have to eliminate that option. If you have plants up against your home, this draw critters toward (and ultimately into) the house. If you have any food gardens, make sure that they are homed far away from the foundation of your house. Additionally, cut back or cut down plants that are too close to the walls or roof.
