Prevention Tips
Prevention Tips
Reduce Pest Activity in Your Home With These Simple Steps
Outdoor
Most pests, if not all enter your home from the outside, that is why Proterra created the radar for bugs™ program. We focus our efforts mostly on the outdoors because we know it is where 99% of all pests live and breed.
- Yard maintenance will help keep bugs from breeding as much. High grass and overgrown bushes all provide the perfect environment for invaders. All vegetation needs to be 18 inches to 2 feet away from the home. This also includes tree limbs, bushes, or any vegetation plant from touching the structure, roof, or walls of the home. Not doing this could cause other problems with Roof rats and new highways for ants and other bugs to enter your home and structure.
- Standing water can cause several issues on your property and attract different pests as well. Including but not limited to mosquitos, more breeding insects, rodents and other animals.
- Eliminate bricks and rocks and any other kind of debris stacked against your home. These stacks would be a perfect nesting site to many pests, such as carpenter ants, spiders, and rodents. Besides, this is unhealthy to have around your structure because it sometimes causes the walls of your home to deteriorate faster.
- Ensure you fit screens and tighten seals on doors and windows, especially the thresholds. Make sure your foundation vents are sealed and attic vents are also sealed. Ask us about our customized rat/iguana exclusion work to keep these small/ medium size animals away from getting inside your home or garage.
- Seal and caulk cracks and crevices on the interior and exterior of the home. You will be shocked on just how many pests still find their way in through cracks and crevices of your home.
- Keep plants two to three feet from your home to avoid pest access points and pathways and also to allow us to treat at the foundation of your home efficiently.
- Mulch must be kept three feet from the home, as many insects are attracted to the moistures the mulch holds.
- Garbage cans must be cleaned regularly. Have a closed garbage lid and keep it away from the home. Do not store garbage in the garage as it can be attracting flies, ants and rodents.
Indoor
- Dog and animal food need to be kept in sealed containers. Tons of different pests feed off animal food, including rodents.
- Keep air conditioner filter clean to avoid moisture build-up.
- Keep food in tightly sealed containers
- Bring pet food and water indoors overnight. Pet food can be a food source for rodents, ants and other insects.
- Seal all your countertops and backsplashes in kitchens and bathrooms. Bugs will live in these spaces and come out only at night to feed. Give them nowhere to hide. Other tips are sometimes given while services are performed that are customized to your home
- Caulking all the windows, doors, outlets, and pipes is a huge help in keeping bugs out of your home. Have Proterra treat these areas first before sealing.
- No clutter. Even cardboard boxes can be a nesting area.
- Plumbing leaks are a very important item to get fixed right away. This is important especially behind cabinetry to ensure water does not accumulate as a drinking source for the pests.
- Cleaning the pantry once a month will help keep bugs from entering the pantry and making a new home where your food is.
- To help us keep bugs out, maintaining a clean home will give bugs less attractant to breed and flourish in your house.