Keeping bugs out of a home seems like a lost cause. Wherever there is food in a home, bugs are sure to follow, but there are ways to ensure that homes are as sealed as possible. The following is a list of five things you can do to almost bug proof a home.
1. Sealing Doors
It probably seems strange that a number of pests can simply walk in through the front door of someone’s home. Bugs can enter via doors and even windowsills if they’re small enough. Some insects, such as roaches, can flatten themselves to slip through the cracks. The best way to seal a door is to use a sweep.
This device attaches to the bottom of the door and seals it from the outside world. Sweeps are a fairly easy to install and cost effective way to bug proof a home.
2. Adding Patio Screens
This one might be a little more obvious. A patio screen can be used to keep insects such as mosquitoes from flying in when a front or back door is open. Ideally, a screen with smaller holes in it should be used to keep all pests out. Installing a screen door isn’t as hard as one might think, and it can also be done by a hired professional.
3. Fixing Cracks
Cracks within older homes are an inevitability. When the exterior of a home is cracked, it can invite many insects and even rodents in if the hole is large enough.
Observing the outside of a home can reveal countless small breaks in the exterior, particularly in areas made of wood which are subject to rotting and splintering.
Depending on what the home is made from, replacing the materials that the hole used to be comprised of isn’t s huge project.
4. Sealing Pipes
No matter what a pipe is used for and when it was installed, there are often gaps between the pipe and the wall that can result in an opening for insects to crawl through.
The hardest part about sealing pipes is locating the actual pipes and seeing if there’s a hole. Once that’s done, sealing the hole can be as simple as using caulking found at a local hardware store.
5. Repair Holes
This one probably seems obvious. Any large holes in a home’s foundation are an easy entrance for bugs. Repairing holes is not just good for preventing bugs from entering, it also keeps larger intruders like rats out. Naturally, a hole in a roof can also mean the house can fall victim to water damage.
Wherever water goes, insects are sure to follow. Replacing a hole in a roof or wall isn’t the most difficult job in the world, and can usually be done in about one day. Holes in walls can be fixed with drywall repair. Holes in roofs can be fixed by cutting out the hole location, replacing the area with the same material, sealing it and replacing shingles.
