Just like the majority of people, most insects, and rodents aren’t fond of the winter. Unfortunately, for many Albany residents, this means they will be seeking shelter and that place of refuge just might end up being your home. Because of this it is important that you stay vigilant and take as many precautions as possible to keep these unwanted winter house guests from turning your home into their own personal Motel 6.
Mice, rats, spiders, cockroaches, and stink bugs are all examples of pests that will try to winter-over inside of homes and other buildings. When looking for a place to spend the cold months in- they generally look for three things:
Access to a space that is warm, secluded, and secure- behind walls, attics, under floors, and basement areas are all places that fit those needs.
Access to food- crumbs left on the floor, pet food left out in the open, food stored on kitchen counters can all act as easy food sources for pests.
Access to water- leaky pipes, drippy faucets, and water bowls are all places where pests can get a quick drink.
Along with being annoying, having winter pests calling your home their home this winter season can be dangerous and destructive. Rodents can chew through walls, insulation, pipes, and wires; they can also contaminate your food with their urine and feces, along with introducing serious illnesses like Salmonellosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, and leptospirosis into your home. Spiders will build and abandon unsightly webs throughout your house as they search for prey, stink bugs can fill your home with an unpleasant odor, and ants, pantry pests, and other bugs can invade and contaminate your food sources.
So how can you stop these irritating pests from coming into your home this winter? Well, there are several things that you can do, including having year-round residential pest control services in place. Start by excluding pests by caulking gaps found around windows and doors, installing doors sweeps, trimming back trees and bushes from your home, and sealing spaces found in your home’s foundation.
You can also limit the amount of pests in your Albany home this winter by choosing the correct insulation to add to your existing home or to use in a home that you are building. That’s right, insulation is not just for keeping your home warm, it can also be used to protect your home from unwanted pests.
TAP (Thermal, Acoustical and Pest Control) insulation is a natural cellulose insulation that contains natural borate pesticides that helps to prevent ants, spiders, roaches, and other insects from invading your home. This all-purpose insulation keeps warm air in your house during the winter, keeps cool air inside during the summer, reduces noise, helps to keep pests out, and has fire-retardant characteristics to help prevent the spread of fire. What's not to love about this insulation?
For more information about TAP insulation and why it is right for your Albany home, not only as an insulator but to aid in pest prevention, contact the professionals at Thomas Pest Services today!