Quick and Easy Tips to Bug Proof Your Home

Every year when school starts back up I feel we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall.  A new season is a new beginning for me and with that comes a whole new set of chores to prepare for the cooler weather.

With the changing weather lots of little creepy crawlers like bed bugs, ants, cockroaches, and even fleas are looking for a warm place to live.  That doesn't even touch on a few of the bigger creatures that make my skin crawl like mice and rats.

Quick and Easy Tips to Bug Proof Your Home

Now is the perfect time for a little home maintenance.  Think about all the places you overlook during the summer because you aren't trying to keep the cold air out, the first place that comes to mind is the entrances!

To keep insects from crawling under the door installing a sturdy threshold and even a door sweep are an easy way to keep the creepy crawlies out and cold air!  Don't stop there while you're at it add or repair the weather stripping around the frame to keep insects from entering along the sides or top of the doorway and windows.

The best tip I can give you is keep the door closed, it might take a few reminders to the kids but getting into the habit of closing the door behind you is always a good thing.

Did you know mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we breathe out?  Add body warm and heartbeat vibrations, especially while sleeping, and you'll be scratching your bites for days to come.  These unwanted guests and a few others are easily deterred with a handy odourless flying insect aerosol that is safe for indoor and outdoor use like [easyazon_link identifier=”B002LGXW6K” locale=”US” tag=”reamom0b-20″]Hot Shot[/easyazon_link].

Now on to some bigger and scarier (or at least to me) home invaders – rodents.  First up, keep all food covered to avoid rodents being attracted to it.  Did you know mice can squeeze through holes not much wider than the diameter of a pencil?  That's right get your tools out and seal up all those little gaps you find, no matter how small.  If you see evidence of a rodent visitor mouse traps and rat poison such as in no-touch baits will deal with the issue without too much bother.

If you have a family pet like we do, you might be worried about fleas.  A few things you can do to prevent an outbreak is vacuum carpets, rugs, pet bedding and under beds where dust accumulates every couple of days.  If fleas do happen to infest your home setting off a [easyazon_link identifier=”B0047P8G96″ locale=”US” tag=”reamom0b-20″]Bedbug and Flea Fogger[/easyazon_link] will help!

When it comes to unwanted insect and rodents in your home prevention is the key!  Start doing a few home repairs to doors, windows and little gaps you see around the house where the visitors can make their way inside.

What's your best bug proof tip?