Spring has sprung and that means it’s time to start getting your home and yard summer ready. One item you will definitely want to add to your spring to-do list is pest control. Just as we begin to emerge from our winter indoor hibernation more and more, so do pests, and they will be looking for new places to be. Without proper pest control, that very well may be your home and yard. Early spring (right now) is the best time to spray for pests and gives you a better chance at destroying nests and colonies before they explode and you have a full invasion.
The big question about pest control is should you hire someone or do the work yourself? The answer is it’s up to you with one exception: termites, which should always be eradicated by professionals. Hiring a pro in any situation is always the best option, and in this case, professional pest control companies have access to better chemicals that will give you better quality and longer pest control. The downside of a pro may be cost, but when you factor in the cost of the DIY products you’ll need and your time, the cost of a professional company may not really be much more.
If you would rather do it yourself, there are many great products at your local home improvement store that will get the job done. Carefully read the labels of any product you use and follow the instructions to ensure safety and proper usage. If you prefer the DIY route, here are some tips to help you out.
Start With an Inspection
The best pest control is prevention, so the first step in the process is to inspect both the interior and exterior of your home. On the exterior, inspect your foundation, stone, siding, and other exterior products to ensure there are no cracks or holes pests can use either for a nesting area or to enter your home. Check around window and door frames and make sure the caulking is in good condition. If it has cracked or some has fallen off, re-caulk those spots. You’ll also want to check window screens for holes and any vents and make sure screens are in-tact and there is no way for pests to use those as entry points.
Inside your home, check caulking around windows and doors and re-caulk any areas that need it. Check any decorations or other items you may have brought in during the winter months and make sure there are no pests hiding in them. Also, do a thorough inspection of areas where pests like to hide. Attics and basements are prime areas for pests to hide.
Clean Up Your Yard
Debris, leaves, damp wood, overgrowth, mud, and stagnant water are appealing spots for pests to make home. If you have any of these in your yard (or gutters for standing water), get them cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent pests from moving in. Once you have cleaned up all debris, make sure you keep up on it to avoid future problems.
DIY Preventative Treatments
Once you have inspected and repaired potential problems spots on your home and have cleaned up the yard, it’s time to do preventative treatments (spray for bugs). We found a great video from Aruza Pest Control that gives you detailed instructions on how to do your own home pest control. We have embedded the full video below, but here are some basics from it.
There are four key areas you want to focus on:
The interior and exterior perimeter of your home
For the interior and exterior perimeter of your home, Aruza suggests Ortho Home Defense. Inside, spray around doors, window sills, corners of the baseboards, and underneath the kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets. Outside, create a 12-inch barrier around the entire perimeter of the home.
Any cracks and crevices along the house that you haven’t repaired
For cracks and crevices that you may not have repaired, Aruza says to use diatomaceous earth dust. Dust it inside cracks and crevices to stop bugs from entering your home.
The garage
In the garage, you want to monitor and stop pests, and Aruza says the best way to do that is with basic glue boards. Put the boards under the sensors and other areas of the garage.
The yard
The final area to focus on is the yard, which is where most pests trying to get in your home come from. One of the best products for this according to Aruza is Amdro Quick Kill. Using a grass seed spreader, spread this thoroughly and evenly across your property. One note from Aruza on this product: For some pests like fire ants, you will need to apply more than the bag suggests to get full coverage.
Looking for your dream home? Liberty Homes has been building new homes in Utah for nearly 30 years. We take pride in our trade, crafting each home as if it were our own. Our quality, affordable homes are energy smart and thoughtfully personalized for your active Utah lifestyle. We currently have townhomes available in Salt Lake County. Contact us today to get started building your new home.
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