For many homeowners, pest control is a task to focus on during the summers. However, many pests are prone to offer your home in the colder months of the year as they look for shelter from the harsh cold weather outside. According to the CPMA (Canada Pest Management Association), pests such as rodents alone are to evade more than 20 million homes in Canada during winter. This might sound alarming; however, it is nothing new as mice infestation is among the top pest issues reported in the colder months of the year.
What are some Common Pests for the winter?
Pests like mice and rats bring different diseases with them, including the Hantavirus and Salmonella. The condition is spread from mice/rats to humans when they contaminate food and get another pest (lice/ticks/ and fleas) indoors. Not to mention the severe damage caused by rodents when they chew the house’s electrical wires and other items.
Other winter pest invaders include cockroaches and ants, which can seriously contaminate food. On the other side, invaders like cockroaches can also cause asthma in children. We are all afraid of spiders, and no one wants them inside the house. When they bite, they can cause a severe reaction in people. Let’s talk about bed bugs. Did you know that this pest can be quite resilient? Believe it or not, though, the minus temperature can kill bed bugs. Still, the bugs tend to survive the harsh weather for a brief time. As a matter of fact, the bugs enter a semi-hibernation mode where the adult bugs can survive for months without food.
The winter pests comprise ants, mice, rats, spiders, cockroaches, and specifically rodents. An infestation of the pests mentioned above can lead to serious health issues if they are not dealt with on time. Nonetheless, homeowners can curb the spread of pests by taking precautionary measures with the help of powerpestcontrol. With a proactive approach, the pest can be kept at bay, and their entries into your homes can be successfully eliminated.
Here are some Preventive Measures for Pest Control
Besides contacting the pest professionals, you can also seal all cracks and holes visible on the outside of your home. If you aren’t sure whether your home is infested with rodents, you should inspect your walls, wires, and insulation for gnaw marks. Gnaw marks are a dead giveaway that rodents are residing inside your house. Also, watch out for mice droppings, which is another common sign of rodent infestation. They even leave grease marks along the walls.
Watch for your storage. Steer boxes off the floor, especially in the pantry, garage, and other areas of your house that remain undisturbed during the winter. Never forget to keep those branches and shrubs trimmed away from your home. If you store firewood, make sure that it is at least 20 feet away from your residence and held off the ground. With preventive measures like these in place, you can ensure that your home remains rodent and pest-free during the winter.
