Insect issues in the home can get worse as the weather warms and the pests begin to wakeup from their winter's sleep. The following tips can help keep your home pest-free.

1. Check Pass-Through Seals

A variety of pipes, vents, and cables pass through your exterior walls and into your home. Winter can be hard on the seals around these devices, causing the seals around the pass-throughs to crack or break away. Replace any caulking around the pass-through. In the case of vents, such as for your dryer, make sure there is a screen firmly in place to keep insects and rodents from crawling through.

2. Patch Your Screens

Winter can be hard on screens, as well. Bent frames leave gaps that allow insects into the home when you first throw open the windows for that fresh spring air. Winter can also leave behind tears and rips in the screen. Replace damaged frames and repair the screens before opening the windows for the first time. If the frames are in good condition, you can rescreen them yourself or have them done by a professional.

3. Move the Wood Pile

If you use a fireplace or heat your home with wood, you may have a small pile of split wood that is stored near the home. As the weather warms, insects hibernating in the pile wake up and they can make their way inside as they seek out food. Move the pile further away from the house once temperatures are regularly above freezing. Walking further to grab firewood won't be as uncomfortable as the snow melts and the temperatures improve.

4. Protect Your Seeds

Spring is the time for planting the garden, but leaving seed packets near your house, such as on the porch, or in the garage can provide a ready food source for unwanted pests. Insects can be drawn by seeds, but rodents are often the bigger concern. Store your seeds in an airtight container with a tight lid when you aren't actively planting them.

5. Spray Your Home's Perimeter

Prevention should also include calling in your local pest control company to apply a perimeter treatment around the outside of your house. Perimeter treatments create an effective barrier that pests can't cross, which means you will have a lot fewer insects inside the home than you would if you left the perimeter untreated. 

Contact a pest control service in your area for more assistance with spring pest prevention.

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