Pest Proofing Your New Old Home

You’ve bought a new house that you love! OK, it’s not a new house, but it’s new to you. You’ve saved money by buying an older house, and you’ve found something that has a little more character than what you’ll find on the cookie-cutter streets of suburbia. Yet with an older home – even one as little as 10 years old – you’ve also opened yourself up to the possibility of dealing with pests.

You can take actions to pest proof your home as soon as you move in, including calling a Mesa pest control company to do an inspection and to apply a treatment. Here are some ideas for how to pest proof your new old house:

Seal All Openings

Pests like Phoenix termites and Phoenix scorpions can get into your home through the tiniest of cracks. A lot of older homes have cracks around the windows and doors, cracks in the foundation, cracks around the vents and pipes, and all kind of holes, cracks, and loose seals throughout. These are all potential openings for pests.

You need to go through your home with careful attention to seal up all holes and cracks you can find. Renew the seals around your windows and doors. Look for cracks in the foundation or brickwork and fill them. Add sealing around the duct work and vents. These may seem like minor issues, but they can let in pests that cause a major problem. If you don’t feel confident in your ability to do the work yourself, hire a professional to do it for you.

Fix Leaky Pipes

Leaky pipes and faucets can create a slow drip that provides a steady water source for pests. Termites, scorpions, roaches, ants, and more will look for moisture, and they will be attracted to your home if that’s where they find it (in addition to food sources, of course).

Hire a plumber to look for leaks in your pipes or faucets and to fix them. You may have a slow leak and not even realize it. Not only will the leak attract pests, but it will also lead to extensive water damage that you won’t know about until it has become a major problem that is unsafe and very expensive to repair.

Install a Door Sweep and Weather Stripping

After you seal the cracks around your door, you need to add weather stripping to close the gap that can appear between the sides of the door and the frame. You then need to add a door sweep to the bottom of the door. The weather stripping and door sweep will close those small gaps that let in insects that can damage your home. They have the added bonus of making your home more energy-efficient and bringing down your utility bills.

Keep Your Home Clutter-Free

Piles of clothes on your floor are attractive to spiders and scorpions. Firewood stacked up by your fireplace can attract termites and scorpions. Piles of newspapers, mail, and more also attract termites and other insects. Make your home less attractive to pests by simply keeping the clutter away. Since you just moved in, you have the opportunity to get rid of things you don’t need and to get everything organized (making it easier to keep things clean as you go).

Clear Brush from Your Yard

Brush around your yard creates the perfect spot for all kinds of pests. Piles of wood, branches, heavy shrubs, long grass, and more can attract insects who are looking for shade, food, or a place to nest. Clear the brush from your yard to eliminate these attractive spots for pests.

Also, hire someone to trim trees and bushes that are near your home. Insects can nest in these trees and bushes and use them to connect to your home.

Invest in a Barrier Treatment

A pest control company near Chandler can install a barrier treatment around your home to keep pests out. Pesticides can be sprayed around the perimeter of your home, or a trench can be dug to install pesticides for insects like termites.

A barrier treatment will create a kind of force field around your home. The pests may be attracted to your home, but as soon as they hit that line of pesticides, they are either going to retreat or be killed.

The best way to pest-proof your new home is to call a pest control company that can inspect your home and give you tailored feedback about how to protect it. The type of pests you deal with will depend on exactly where you live and what condition your house is in.

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Varsity Termite and Pest Control is a reputable pest control company near Chandler offering treatments for termite control, scorpion control, and more. Our expert technicians know how to identify the signs of infestation from some of the most common pests in Chandler, Arizona and how to eradicate those pests. We’ll work with you to create a long-term plan for Phoenix termite control, Phoenix scorpion control, or control of other Phoenix pests, including changes you can make to your home and ongoing pest control treatments. Call us today to learn more!

Guest Blog Published By:

Varsity Termite and Pest Control – Tony Kaufman

West Valley Location:

Office: 602-264-3648

East Valley Location:

Office: 602-757-8252