Summer is perhaps the worst time for pests—mosquitoes buzzing at your campground, spiders crawling around your garage, ants entering your kitchen. But what about the colder months? Are the pests present during wintertime?
You may be surprised to hear that during these colder months, your home can seem like a very warm and inviting place for bugs, insects, and rodents alike. Pest control isn’t just a one-season necessity—it’s essential to practice prevention year-round for a pest-free home. In this blog, we’ll explore pest control in the winter, why it’s necessary, DIY methods for protecting your home, and more. Keep reading to find out more about pest control in the winter.
Why Winter Pest Control?
The truth is, many insects, such as bees, ants, or mosquitoes, will die during the colder months—but just as many pests manage to stick around during this period. Here are the most common types of pests you’ll encounter in the wintertime:
- Rodents: Mice and rats are common invaders in the colder months. As temperatures drop, they search for warm places (like your home or business) to find shelter from the cold. Rodents can squeeze through tiny cracks in the walls, foundations, or rooflines, making them prevalent pests during winter.
- Cockroaches: Cockroaches prefer to live in small areas with food and moisture on your property, especially when it’s cold outside. These critters can enter through grocery bags, boxes, or secondhand appliances. Cockroaches contaminate food and spread bacteria, making them an unsafe pest that can’t be ignored.
- Brown Recluse Spiders: Although most spiders find ways to survive outdoors in the winter, brown recluse spiders prefer to stay indoors, spinning webs inside attics, crawl spaces, basements, or closets. They’re often found inside boxes, along window moldings, and in clothes or shoes. If threatened, brown recluse spiders can bite and inject venom, making them dangerous to humans.
So, do you need pest control in the winter? Yes, if you’re experiencing any of the above pests. Although pests aren’t as common in the colder months, there are still some that stick around. Additionally, winter pest control shields your property from future critters in the spring or summertime when they’re most active. Even if you don’t see pests now, they could make their way in when the weather starts to change. Setting up preventative maintenance now can protect your home for the future.
7 Tips for Protecting Your Home from Pests in the Winter
Winter pest control is about preventative strategies, DIY solutions, or more aggressive approaches for larger infestations.
Here are 7 tips to protect your home or business when it’s cold outside:
1. Reduce the extent of moisture in your property.
Moisture can quickly attract pests, especially cockroaches, into your home or business. During the winter, don’t leave pools of water in the kitchen or bathroom, and mop up any moisture throughout your property. Regularly check water pipes for leakage and fix them to prevent excess moisture that could attract pests during the colder months.
2. Keep firewood away from your property.
In winter, timber is the ideal nest for many insects and rodents. To prevent pests from building nests and invading your space, keep firewood stacked at least 20 feet away from your property and elevate it off the ground.
3. Ensure your property is clean and tidy.
Winter pests are attracted to clutter, where they can find hiding spots and easily build nests. To prevent pests from entering your property, keep all counters and floors clean, clear rooms of clutter, remove food crumbs, store food in airtight containers, and clean up spills.
4. Seal off all entry points.
Inspect your home for potential entry points, looking for cracks in the foundation, gaps around windows and doors, and holes in the roofline. Use caulk or steel wool to seal these openings and prevent critters from entering your warm home during the winter.
5. Use natural repellents.
Practice DIY winter pest control with natural repellents, such as peppermint oil for rodents, baking soda for cockroaches, and white vinegar to ward off other annoying insects. While natural repellents can be effective for one or two pests, they may not prove efficient for larger infestations. In that case, it is best to contact a professional pest control company.
6. Install door sweeps.
Door sweeps can effectively keep pests from entering through small gaps that go unnoticed in your home or business. Add door sweeps to the bottom of all exterior doors at your property to stop pests from entering your space during the colder months.
7. Contact a professional pest control company.
When it comes to winter pest control, you can only do so much. If you’ve tried natural repellents, sealing entry points, ensuring a clean property, and other strategies without success, it may be time to call the professionals. Trying to deal with pests on your own can be overwhelming and frustrating. If you keep seeing pests around your property during winter, trained exterminators can eliminate them for good. If you’re located in Southern California, Preventive Pest Control provides year-round pest control plans to ensure your home or business is pest-free every season.
Winter Pest Control: Protect Your Home Before It’s Too Late
Although spring and summer are prime times for pests, home and business owners must not neglect winter pest control. By preparing your property beforehand, your space can stay pest-free all year. Whether you try natural repellents or clear the clutter from your environment, safeguarding your home in the colder months sets you up for future success.
If you’re experiencing stubborn pests in the winter or other seasons, in Southern California, our Orange County pest control services and pest control experts in the Inland Empire are here to help. With Temprid technology, we provide lasting solutions that last year-round. Contact us for preventative pest control to protect your property from pests.