We often think of winter as the biggest time of the year to worry about pests entering our homes. After all, as the weather gets colder, insects and other small animals will seek out the warmth of your house to get out of the harsh elements. However, pest infestations in the spring pose an equally large problem for your home as they do in winter.

As the weather gets warmer, insects and rodents get more active. They also start looking for easy access to food and water. That spells trouble for your home! What can you do to keep pests out of your house this spring? Just follow these simple tips.

Seal Up Cracks and Gaps

Insects and small rodents have very little trouble finding and getting through even the smallest cracks and gaps in your walls, under doors, and around windows. Take a walk around the outside of your home and check for any places where you have holes or cracks in your walls. Seal these up tight, and you’ll lose less cold air this summer, saving you on your energy bills and keeping pests out, too.

While you’re at it, make sure that all of your windows are properly caulked and sealed. If you’re going to be opening windows to let fresh air in this spring, make sure to buy screens that fit snuggly in your window frames and that have a mesh of at least 200 holes per square inch. This will keep out even the tiniest ants and other insects.

Create an Unwelcoming Perimeter

In addition to making it harder for pests to get into your home, you can also make your home less attractive to them. Insects are attracted to pine straw, leafy bushes, and some types of wood chips, so avoid using or planting these around the base of your house. Instead, use a bug repellant ground covering to keep pests out.

You could lay down gravel, which is not especially attractive to bugs, but you could also actively repel them. For example, both cedar and cypress work wonderfully as natural bug repellents. Their wood also resists decay better than some other mulches, and they have a scent that’s pleasant to humans but also repellent to mosquitoes, ants, roaches, and other vermin.

Light Up the Night Around Doors and Windows

If you’re having trouble with flying insects getting into your home through doors and windows, especially at night, your solution may be lighting. Instead of traditional lighting around your doors and windows, which will often attract moths and other nocturnal insects, use lights that are tinted yellow, pink, or orange. These not only create a beautiful glow, but they’re also not as attractive to bugs as regular mercury vapor lights. You might also want to consider halogen lights or high-pressure sodium vapor lights if the problem persists.

Clean and Maintain Your Drains

The drains in your sinks and tubs have a tendency to collect moisture and debris, creating a breeding ground for gunk that’s really attractive to bugs and other pests. Insects are especially good at getting into houses through drains and pipes, too, so clean and maintain yours regularly to avoid this problem.

Seal Up Stored Foods

Finally, if you open a box of pasta or cereal, don’t expect its cardboard box to do much against mice, cockroaches, and other pests. They’ll smell your unsecured food from a surprising distance, and it will lead them into your home. Investing in sealable plastic containers and using them for all of your leftover foods is a great way to keep bugs and other pests out of your home this spring. If you think you may already have a bug problem, call the professionals at Dugas Pest Control to make that issue go away for good. Here’s looking forward to Spring!