How to Keep Pests Out for the Winter

When cold weather makes its appearance, you’re not the only one who prefers to stay indoors during the chilly days.

And after all, no matter if you live in urban or rural environment. Your battle against unwelcome guests can actually last all year. It all depends on the animal that you face.

Baby Raccoons
Raccoons in the Attic

From mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels and skunks to, not to mention wasps or wild birds, all animals seek shelter in your home. And this happens especially in autumn, when cold weather begins to make its debut.

Mice, rats and last but not least, raccoons and make their appearance for a visit and stay in fact, throughout the cold season. In fact, we humans are the ones who invite them to our house, waiting for him, so to speak, with the doors open and the dinner ready. These wild animals have easy access to our home attics and basements, not to mention the garbage cans that we leave exposed and unprotected.

We even changed the behavior of these animals. For a raccoon, it is more natural to look in garbage cans today for food than to hunt or to catch crayfish.

Besides their annoying presence, such as noises of all kinds, unpleasant odors, fecal, these unwanted guests can do serious and expensive damages. The greatest damages are incurred by electrical circuits, which may even lead to fires. So in conclusion, damages may be serious, reaching tens of thousands of dollars.

However, it should not be neglected the hygiene factor. Not only your wallet but your health is in danger. These furry creatures can be a very serious risk to your health. These wild critters are urinating and defecating in your attic and in short time the entire attic will be contaminated.

Photo by Woodhaven Log & LumberLook for home design pictures

Prevention

Prevention is in fact, the cheapest and best way to keep away from your house these animals. In fact, prevention is the best long-term solution. So you have to make your home pest proof and any problem will be solved.

What You Need to Do

First of all, you need to get rid of these fur creatures if you already have a pest infestation. Then you need a thorough cleaning of the attic.

This is not a job, which can be by a homeowner and maybe it would be better to be left to professionals that will accurately locate the animal entry points, sealing them, after animals were evacuated safely. It is not easy to find these access routes in your attic. There are dozens of possibilities through which a raccoon can get in and only experienced professional can detect these access points and seal them.

However, it is up to you to keep the roof structure in excellent condition all the time. Inspect your roof every year, especially in autumn. Look carefully for missing or broken roof vents, loose shingles, animal tracks, in a word all that can you indicate their presence. Also check eaves, not to be somehow a build-up of leaves that can be a real attraction for birds and squirrels. More than that, these build ups can easily create a dam for water, when it freezes, will push fascia leading to a gap in the roof. This gap will be an easy gateway for a wild animal.

Also make sure there are not any possible gaps under your garage or basement door and avoid leaving at any times these door opens unattended. Do not forget to check to inspect the downspouts and soffits. Make sure also that there are no visible gaps between the house and soffits. All the weep vents around your home base should be screened, but in a way that not to block the ventilation and increase the moisture levels inside. In short, you should carefully check the entire building surface and caulk any smaller hole or screen the big ones.

However, if a wild animal is already in the attic you should call a professional to deal with it, before sealing the entrance ways. Specialized companies won’t harm your furry “guest” and will ensure that all animals will be evacuated prior sealing.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – Environmentally Friendly Solutions | How To Build A House (howtobuildahouseblog.com)