6 Fall Tips to Pest Proof Your NJ Home

The sun is setting a bit earlier, the air feels a little cooler at night, fall is right around the corner. You probably think pest infestations are one worry you can check off the list now that summer is coming to an end. But we at Cowleys know that fall is arguably the most important time to pest proof your home.    

Just like us, bugs look for warmth, shelter, food, and moisture when the outdoor weather turns colder. And your house likely provides all of these things. But fear not, you can stop bugs in their tracks and ensure they don’t overwinter beside you. The idea is to make the perimeter of your home an inhospitable place for pests.  Follow these steps to keep the pests on the outside looking in this fall:

1. Clean up outdoors this fall.  Fallen leaves and brush attract pests. If this debris is left around your home you can rest assured that pest populations around your home are high.  When the weather turns colder those very pests will be looking for a way in. So keep your lawn and garden beds neat and tidy removing the fall leaves and debris thereby reducing areas around your home that attract pests.
2. Trim your shrubs and trees.  Shrubs should never be up against your home. Besides the staining and extra moisture that can cause it becomes an excellent place for pests to hide. Pests that live just outside your home will look for a way in as the weather turns colder.  
3. Clean your gutters. Clean and free flowing gutters are important to avoid moisture build-up around your home, which pests are looking for.  Removing the debris that pests like to hide in will reduce the pest populations around your home. Installing gutter protection can help keep your gutters cleaner year-round.
4. Remove window air conditioning units.  As you can imagine, pests can squeeze through very small cracks to enter your home.  Window units left in over the winter provide a perfect access point for pests and rodents
5. Store firewood away from the house.  Sure it’s easy to access when it’s just outside your door, but firewood stored up against your home provides an excellent place for pests to hide. 
6. Have your home exterior treated for pests.  A perimeter treatment is a pro-active way to ensure that pests don’t come inside.  As the weather turns colder, pests are looking for a place to overwinter. This makes fall one of the most important times you could treat the exterior of your home.

These six steps will reduce your chance of spending your winter with some uninvited guests. Remember that just as Ben Franklin said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  This advice certainly applies to pest infestations!