How Can I Make My Home Pest Proof?

Dealing with creepy crawlies is no one’s favourite job. When you’ve got a serious infestation you’ll need to call a professional pest control Toowoomba company, but there are a few things you can do yourself to make your home pest proof. In this article we’ll go over the 7 things you can do to reduce pest populations on your property and keep your home critter-free!

Table of Contents

Seal Any Air Gaps

Pests are just like any other animals – they’re always in search of food, water and shelter. That means your home is a tantalising option! Filled with easy sources of food and warmth, pests will find every possible way to migrate into your home. One of the best things you can do to keep the critters at bay is to seal up any air gaps around external doors and windows. Chances are that your doors and windows were installed with sealant when the house was built. This sealant breaks down over time and needs to be replaced with fresh caulking. A few cheap tubes of silicone could go a long way to prest-proofing your house.

Clean Up the Yard

Messy yards are a pest’s best friend. Overgrown plants, fallen logs and piles of kids toys are the ideal home for spiders, ants and snakes. That’s not the end of the world, but, once they’re in your yard, pests are all the more likely to find their way into your home. Maintaining your yard is the key. Regularly mow the lawn and trim any plants, bushes or trees on the property. Pay careful attention to any foliage that grows close to your house or overhangs the roof. Cut away any branches that touch the house or loom over the house, and clear away things like fallen logs, piles of debris, tree stumps and children’s toys.

Deal With Rubbish Properly

That trail of ants that’s marching across your kitchen wall is in search of food. If you want to control the population of pests in your home, it’s worth paying attention to how you store and deal with rubbish. A good rule of thumb is to keep all food waste and wrappers in a single, central bin that can be emptied and cleaned out regularly. Avoid using other bins around the house for food waste. These bins get emptied less frequently, and the food scraps turn into an enticing treat for the bugs you’re trying to keep out.

Invite Some Predators to Dinner

The best bug control methods are natural. That includes finding some predators to help keep the bug population to a minimum. Birds are some of the most prolific pest predators, and they’re easy to attract to your yard. Features like bird feeders and bird baths can attract avian friends, and while they’re hanging around you can bet they’ll help control populations of things like spiders, grubs and ticks.

Add Screens to Doors and Windows

Fly screens are an essential part of life in Australia. They’re a simple and affordable way to prevent flying bugs from finding their way into your home. Most windows are designed with a special track that allows fly screens to be installed at any time. You can hire a handyman to do this job for you, but it’s also a DIY-friendly project! The materials you need to make fly screens are readily available at hardware stores. You could put together screens for your external doors and windows in a single weekend. If you already have fly screens installed, go around and inspect each one to see whether the mesh or rubber seals need to be replaced.

Co-Plant Your Gardens

Co-planting (sometimes called companion planting) is a process that pairs up crops that deter each other’s pests. Take some time to identify the plants in your yard and vegetable garden and then invest in some companion crops. Companion crops not only protect your existing plants from damage, they reduce the number of food sources that potential pests have access to. This is an effective strategy for reducing their population numbers and preventing them from infesting other areas of your property.

Invest in Professional Pest Control

There’s no substitute for professional pest control Toowoomba! Even if you’re doing everything else right, it’s still possible for pests to find their way into your home. Common household critters like fleas and spiders can thrive no matter what you do, and the simplest way to get rid of them is to talk to a professional pest control service. Professional exterminators use a combination of natural treatments to reduce infestations and control future outbreaks. If you’re struggling with persistent pests like ants and fleas, a professional solution is the key to finding relief.