Colder weather is coming. Is your home ready? What you do now can help prepare your home for winter when pests are looking for a warm and welcoming place to stay. Use this checklist to help keep the warmth in and the pests out.

Prepare Your Home for Winter Indoors

There are a few winter-prep maintenance tasks that can help make your home more comfortable for you while preventing pests from moving in.

1. Weather-stripping. With heating prices rising, make the most of your system by ensuring your home is properly insulated and weather-proofed. You may have to reapply weather stripping around windows and doors to seal any cracks. Not only can heat escape through these areas, but pests take the opportunity to enter your home through the smallest crevice available. Once the windows and doors are done, look around for any additional cracks in the foundation and masonry around your home and seal these as well.
2. Sealing gaps. There could also be gaps around vents and pipes running from the outside into your basement or attic. Spray foam sealant or use another insulating product to seal these gaps. Also look for openings near outlets, plumbing, and gaps in walls. All of these areas are prime pest hideouts.
3. Stock up on supplies. There are a few perimeter pest control products available in both granular and liquid form that can be applied around the outside of your home and even indoors. Check the label for the best methods of use and any warnings about exposing family and pets. If you’ve had pest problems in the winter before, you may want to keep some traps handy just in case. Now’s a good time to also make sure your pantry and cabinets are free of crumbs and spills. Keep food in sealed containers to help prevent hungry pests from helping themselves.

Prepare Your Home for Winter Outdoors

Now that you have your indoors secure, here are some tips to focus on outside.

1. Clean out gutters. A clear gutter helps improve drainage, prevents fungus from growing on built-up wet leaves, and gives pests one less place to hide.
2. Clean out your chimney. Not only is this a good idea if you plan on using your fireplace regularly throughout the winter, but it also helps ensure there’s no pest problem brewing in the flue. If you haven’t already, you’ll also want to make sure the opening is screened off to keep birds, squirrels, and other pests from entering from the roof.
3. Check water pipes. It’s a good idea to shut off your outdoor hoses to help prevent the plumbing from freezing over the winter. Drain the water from the hose and sprinkler system and turn off the access. While you’re at it, check for any indoor or outdoor leaks. The added moisture can attract mold and moisture-loving pests.

Professional Winter Prep

Sometimes it’s easier to prep with a little help from the pros. Before winter sets in, it’s a good idea to have a pest control company help you inspect your home for areas of concern. This is especially important if you’ve had problems in the past or just recently moved in. Contact Cardinal Pest for a consultation and to schedule an inspection. The time it takes you to prep your home for winter will give you a season’s worth of peace knowing your house is safe and warm.