No matter how determined you are to keep up with your New Year’s resolutions, it’s nearly impossible to when you start the year with a wildlife issue. To successfully tackle the rest of your 2020 plans, clear any distractions that could affect your health, drain your funds, or get in the way of your goals. When you’re ready to take control of your pest problem, follow these simple tips.
Trim Those Trees
Trimming your trees will not only provide an appealing landscape, but it will also eliminate pest “bridges” to your house. The closer branches or shrubs are to the walls of your home, the more likely squirrels, rats, and raccoons are to give you a visit. Therefore, it’s best to keep plants between three and six inches away from your home. You can also invest in groundcover like rocks to make it harder for critters to lounge in your landscape.
Discover Any Dampness
Wet areas are an ideal place for animals to cool down. While the bathroom is an obvious target, there are other areas of your home that can also harbor moisture — like your kitchen and attic. Get in a habit of washing dishes as soon as possible, draining your sink, and checking the pipes underneath to make sure there are no signs of leakage. Furthermore, scheduling an annual checkup for your attic or basement can help you stay on top of any dampness before it leads to wildlife damage.
Keep It Clean
Keeping your home tidy is the most natural way to keep wildlife away. The kitchen might be your least favorite place to clean, but leftover food in the sink or crumbs on the counter can be an open invitation for lurking animals. Likewise, taking time to remove trash from each bedroom can make a huge difference in keeping critters at bay. To repel wildlife from the outside of your home, however, you’ll need to keep your yard free of litter, clean fallen produce from your garden, and regularly remove debris from your trashcans.
Seal the Deal
Wild animals hunt and gather by crawling into any space available to them — especially tiny crevices that you didn’t even know existed in your home. That’s why you should seek out both large and small gaps around your property that could tempt intruders to come in. Common areas where you’ll find entry points include:
- The roof
- The attic
- The garage
- Doors
- Sliding glass doors
- Gutters
- Windows
Once you find openings, consider hiring a licensed technician to professionally seal them with copper mesh, coarse steel wool, or industrial caulk.
Celebrate the New Year With No Pests
Wild critters like rats, raccoons, and opossums are frustrating to deal with. Get rid of them this New Year by calling Critter Control© of Dallas. With our eco-friendly pest control techniques, we will return your home to a safe environment and prevent future infestation. Call us for a free estimate today at 817-222-1101.
