4 Ways To Keep Critters Out of Your House

Unwanted bugs and animals can quickly ruin even the best of days. Often, you aren’t aware that you even have a problem until it is too late and the damage has been done. Luckily, you can follow these four steps that will prevent those nasty critters from ever getting into your home and ruining your day. 

1. Control Your Landscaping

Plants or grass around your home can be inviting to critters. They use those spots to hide and find ways into your home. Trim back all foliage away from your home, so the pests don’t have anywhere to hide. Don’t forget to cut back any trees that are touching or are very near to the house. Additionally, consider replacing any wood chips or bark with stones or rocks. Many pests enjoy nesting in the wood. If you are unsure what your yard needs, landscape Boca Raton services can help guide you. 

2. Move Your Firewood

Mice, rats, and many bugs love to hunker down in woodpiles. Many times, homeowners stack their firewood right next to their house for easy access. Unfortunately, this easy access to the wood also gives the critters easy access to your house. Your woodpile should be a minimum of 20 feet away from any dwelling and should be at least 18 inches off the ground. Doing so will discourage any bugs from nesting in the soil around the wood and make it less likely for them to creep into your house. 

3. Eliminate Food Sources

If you have bird feeders in your yard, ensure that they have squirrel guards on them. In their greedy excitement to get at the bird food, squirrels often knock the food all over the yard. Spilled food is a mecca for unwanted critters. If you see that you have spilled food on the ground, you’ll want to clean it up as soon as possible. Furthermore, don’t keep the bird feeders right next to the house. If you don’t provide food for pests, they will have to go somewhere else to get it. 

4. Closeup Entry Points

Bugs and animals are constantly looking for safe places to set up shop and have their babies. You don’t want to make things easy for them! Inspect your crawlspace access and make sure that it is tightly sealed. Look at vents that provide air circulation for the crawlspace and attic and replace any that have covers missing or are unsecured. Also, fill any holes in your foundation that could potentially let critters in.