Wild animals spend much of their time looking for food and shelter. Especially during the winter months, animals may move into attics, basements, or chimneys looking for a place to live comfortably. Luckily, there are some common themes when it comes to pest invasion in the home.
While there is no shortage of DIY tips and tricks to keep pests out of the home, these solutions don’t address the root cause of the problem. By educating yourself on the problem areas in your home, you can protect yourself from pests and live worry free.
1. Exterior Structure
Seeing a pest in your home can leave you unsettled for days. Without knowing where the creature came from, you can be left wondering about the cause of the problem. A major problem area is damage to the exterior structure of your home.
Cracks or holes in your home’s foundation and walls can lead to all sorts of problems. Even the smallest opening in brick, cement, or other exterior features of your home can offer more than enough room for small creatures like mice or insects to enter. By inspecting the exterior features of your home and prioritizing the repair of areas such as loose cement or visibly damaged foundation, you can keep pests at bay.
2. Tree Branches
There are many benefits to having trees around the home, including the shade, improvement to the air, and the improvement to your home’s curb appeal. At the same time, tree branches that extend from the tree to your home can be giving unwelcome creatures an easy access point.
Tree branches that connect the trunk of a tree to your home are known as bridges. Often times, these bridges offer a direct path for creatures such as squirrels to easily enter your home. You can keep a potentially problematic bridge form turning into a serious pest problem by trimming branches to eliminate points of easy access.
3. Roofing
Among the problem areas in your home that you need to look out for is damage to your roof. Potential spaces, gaps, and holes in a damaged roof are invitations for pests to enter your space.
Take the time to inspect and fix any issues in the roof while also paying regular attention to your roof drains and gutters to make sure a pest problem won’t pop up down the line. You can also check your soffit vents, which are often used by wildlife to enter the attic.
4. Windows and Doors
It’s possible that holes around your windows and doors can lead to problems beyond leaks in your insulation. Even tears in your screen, window,or door that doesn’t close properly can lead to a wildlife issue.
You can fix your windows and doors to make sure they close properly and create a tight seal that keeps pests out. Installing screens that keep wildlife and pests out will also keep your windows and doors from becoming problem areas in your home.
5. The Chimney
Chimneys are a common area for wild animals to explore and make into a home. Animals also often get stuck in chimneys, causing unwanted stress on the homeowner and the wildlife involved.
One of the best things you can do to avoid chimney invaders is to purchase a chimney cap. With an effective cap, you can avoid having wildlife enter your chimney and protect the problem areas in your home.
Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!