Tips to keep your home and yard pest free!

Year around, pests pose a problem in southeastern North Carolina, but can be even more of a nuisance during the summer months when the humidity rises, rain is falling and warm temperatures are happening. Plus adding in traveling around and guests coming to visits, even more pests are introduced to the area. Though chemical application is always the go to when it comes to controlling pests, there are some ways to prevent pests without the use of pesticides which is called integrated pest management.

Here are some tips to help control pests in and around your home this summer:

1. Cutting back tree limbs or bushes away from your home. Pests (especially Carpenter Ants) will utilize tree limbs touching the roof of your home or the bushes along the edge to access important areas such as attic spaces, window sills and move to get inside your home. During the winter months, rodents tend to use those access points as well as pipes to gain access to find some warmth.

2. Keeping the grass mowed. Constant agitation will encourage pests such as fire ants not to use your yard for a nest. Unfortunately, you could still have the occasional fire ant mound pop up, but the yard shouldn't be fully taken over if you keep the grass cut regularly.

3. Sealing gaps/holes. Not only will this help keep pests from gaining access into your home, but it should save on the electric bill by not allowing any of the heat inside your home messing with the a/c. Make sure there are no gaps/airflow around doors and windows, no gaps around pipes, drains, ect... The same goes for the attic access door, attic space and garage.

4. Eliminate standing water. Areas where water can accumulate into a stagnant puddle need to be sealed or allowed for the water to run off. Anything that can hold water such as buckets, bird baths, children's toys, ect... need to be drained and removed or flipped over to not allow water to accumulate or at least add some sort of agitator to keep the water constantly moving. Mosquitos utilize stagnant water for their larvae. If there is no water present, then the pests won't have any use for your yard full time.

5. Unopened storage boxes, items in garages or storage buildings. Cardboard boxes, unused items, ect... are excellent places that pests like to hang out. When undisturbed for long periods of times, spiders such as black widows tend to construct a web and make it their home. Be sure to pay extra attention when pulling items out of storage or moving items in the garage for the first time in several months or years.

These are just a few tips to eliminate unwanted pests from your yard and home throughout the year. Pestco Exterminating offers free pest inspections for initial customers to identify areas of concern and even offers services such as exclusion to prevent pests from getting in. If you own or manage a home or commercial building in Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow, Columbus or other surrounding areas and would like to schedule this service, please contact Pestco Exterminating Company today!

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