How to Keep Bugs Out of Your Home This Fall

The daylight is getting shorter, and the nights are getting longer. So, every bug in your yard is looking for a warm and cozy place to spend the winter. Here is how you make sure that place is not inside your house.

How Do I Stop Bugs from Coming into My House?

Tried-and-true methods to stop bugs from coming into your house include making sure to clean up leaves and debris that make nice homes for bugs. The Family Handyman suggests a yard clean-up to start the prevention process. Then, you should make sure to caulk and fill all gaps and holes.

The upside of this approach is that while you are repairing siding and weather stripping, you are also improving your home’s energy efficiency for the coming colder months.

It is also a good time to check your windows and screens for damage and holes. Window replacement professionals suggest spraying your screens with insect repellant and then making sure they are well-sealed – or replacing older windows that do not create a good seal.

Do Bugs Hate Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is a scent bugs do not like. Some do-it-yourself experts suggest using cinnamon to repel insects ranging from cockroaches to silverfish. 

The idea is to sprinkle raw cinnamon around your kitchen to keep out the roaches or make a spray of diluted cinnamon essential oil to spray around all the entrances to your home. If you love cinnamon, this will make your house smell like fall – but it likely won’t provide much protection from all the insects looking for a winter home.

How Do You Keep Bugs Out of a Treehouse?

While keeping insects from all the obvious entry points in your home can be done with a little bit of work, what about your outside spaces like the kids’ playhouse or treehouse?

When you are talking about an all-wooden structure surrounded by nature, keeping the bugs and insect damage to a minimum is a bit more difficult than keeping those same insects out of your living room.

Tree Top Builders suggest you start planning for treehouse maintenance before you start construction and planning ahead to deal with the tree’s growth. But if that ship has already sailed, one of the most important steps you can take is to apply wood sealer to the entire structure every three to five years. They also suggest birds and squirrels can be an issue, so inspecting your treehouse regularly for signs of animal intrusion is an absolute necessity.

But how do you keep termites and other destructive pests at bay?

The same basic rules apply. Seal the cracks, prevent moisture from gathering and keep fallen leaves – and other places that insects love to hide – off your treehouse. You may also want to consult with an arborist to make sure that your tree remains healthy and does not provide a gateway to insects entering the treehouse.

They can provide you with treatments intended for use around pets and children to keep insects outdoors where they belong.

Call Fox Pest Control for Peace of Mind Service

Bug and rodent infestations can begin long before you notice signs of a problem. Preventive treatments can keep your home protected from damage and save you money in the long run. Call today for an appointment!