Day: 1 December 2022

Prevention is much easier than elimination, so knowing how to stop pests from entering your home is vital.

Once pests like rats, mice, flies and cockroaches break in, they will breed, which means you end up with an infestation. Nobody wants to share their home with pests because they lead to poor hygiene and spread diseases and bacteria. 

Understanding that pests are seeking shelter, food, and water allows you to focus on keeping them out and removing food and water sources which will attract them. 

In this guide, we will share our top tips for stopping pests from entering your home.

10 Top Tips for Stopping Pests from entering your home

With colder months on their way, Good Housekeeping advises that now is the prime time to prevent pests looking for warm shelter from entering your home.

Follow these simple tips to keep pests out all year round.

1. Check your doors

A locked door may keep out unwanted intruders, but pests only need a small gap to squeeze through. 

Doors often have a gap at the bottom which will not only let in draughts but could be a way for insects or small rodents to get in. You can buy a nylon sweep to fit along the bottom of doors to protect your entrances.

You can also fit a weather shield or door seal around the sides and top of your doors to close unwanted gaps.

Leaving a back door open is an invitation to pests. You will bring flies inside in the summer unless you install a fly screen or curtain.

2. Check your Windows

Of course, opening your windows is necessary to provide ventilation, especially on a hot summer day. However, you do not want to encourage flies.

You can use blinds or curtains to discourage flies, but it would be even better to fit a separate mesh fly screen to keep them out, especially in your kitchen.

3. Maintain your Garden

Your garden may be the source of many pests, especially vermin like rats and mice. If they are attracted to building a nest in your garden, they may enter your property to seek food or shelter in the winter.

One way to discourage pests is to clear away garden waste piles and dispose of them. Rats will make nests in piles of leaves. 

They also love building nests under wooden decking, so check for holes and entry points around the edges.

Your vegetable patch could be a food source for mice and rats, and your bird table or feeder is another invitation to dinner for unwelcome guests. If you are one of those people who like to feed hedgehogs, it may be that rats are also popping out at night to have a feast.

Check these areas for signs of vermin activity and consider making changes or using wire netting over your produce to protect it from pests. Choose squirrel-proof bird feeders and clear away any seed that drops to the ground.

A low-level water fountain may provide a water source for pests as well as garden birds.

4. Look inside Your Shed

Mice love to build nests in compost bags and warm corners in sheds. If you have an infestation, there is always a chance they will enter your home looking for food.

You can discourage them by ensuring all bags are sealed, and there is no material lying around they can use for nests. Bird and pet food should be packed in chew-proof containers.

5. Repair Exterior Cracks

It’s not just tiny insects that can fit through a crack. Rats have impressive skeletons that allow them to contort through the smallest spaces.

According to How Stuff Works, tiny mice can squeeze through a gap that a pencil can fit in. Yes really.

It is worth examining your home’s exterior walls to note any cracks. They often appear in the mortar between bricks or at the edges of crumbling bricks. You may also have gaps around windows or rotten wood frames.

Use an exterior sealant to fill small gaps or foam sealant for larger holes. Replace any rotten wood and replace broken guttering of fascias.

6. Seal Around Pipe and Cable Feeds

Ensure that you seal around any places where you have made a hole to feed a wire, cable or pipe.

When a contractor like a broadband worker has to drill a hole to lay cable, they often use sealant to fill the gap around the wire, but it is worth checking yourself.

You can fill more significant gaps with steel wire before using sealant to deter mice from chewing through.

7. Cover Roof Vents and Chimneys

Some holes are meant to be there for ventilation and safety, so how can you stop pests from using them as an entrance?

The best way to protect vents and chimneys is to install a fine wire mesh. This should keep squirrels, rats, mice and pigeons out of your loft space.

8. Make your home less appealing

Pests are less likely to break in if no food or water is laid out for them.

Keep your kitchen surfaces clean, and put food away promptly in cupboards in sealed containers. You should always wipe up crumbs from your dining table, and if you have kids who eat in their bedrooms, they must clear away plates, crumbs and packets.

Don’t forget pet bowls. After they have eaten, clear away leftovers, or you will provide a rat-sized snack.

Fix leaking taps to ensure you do not have a water source available.

One of the main problems is clutter. You could be unwittingly leaving around nesting material and hiding places for vermin. Rats and mice can breed quickly and cause an infestation before you have discovered their hiding place.

9. Look After Your Rubbish

Inside your home, you should ensure you have a lidded bin for all food waste. Food waste left in open waste bins throughout the house is an invitation for pests.

Outside bins should be sealed properly and kept clean from spills that attract pests. Don’t leave bags of waste lying around, as vermin will chew through, and flies will be drawn to the smell.

Compost bins are great for the environment but ensure you have a lid and wire to keep unwanted pests out.

10. Pigeon Proof your Roof

Once pigeons have found a place to roost, you risk them making a nest in your rafters. If pigeons are a problem, you can put netting or spikes around your roof to keep them away. 

If you are concerned about pests entering your home, please get in touch with us at EWS Group. Our trained technicians will be happy to help remove pests and install preventative methods to keep them away.

Discovering pests on your property is hardly good news. You may think you have been unlucky, but the truth is that there are some common reasons why pests are coming into your home.

It isn’t all bad news. Understanding what attracts pests into your home is the first step to preventing an infestation.

In this guide, we will explore why pests are coming into your home and show you some easy ways to prevent them from entering your house in the future.

Four Reasons Why Pests are Coming into Your Home

There are four primary causes of pests coming into your home. If you can tackle these issues successfully, you will have more luck in preventing pest infestations.

1. Home Maintenance
2. Food
3. Water
4. Clutter

Let’s explore these four areas in more detail so you can ensure you have done as much as you can to eliminate the chance of pests entering your house. If you already have some unwelcome pests in your home, don’t hesitate to call us at EWS Group for advice.

1. Home Maintenance

Your home may be your castle, but to pests, it is a chance to shelter from the elements. 

Good Housekeeping suggests that the older your house, the more chance you have of discovering cracks, gaps, chips and other signs of wear and tear. If you find an opening, the chances are that a rat or mouse will see it first.

Even tiny holes are a problem, as rodents can squeeze into the smallest spaces. Rats have a unique ability to contort their skeleton to fit into surprisingly little holes.

It is best to create a routine where you check out your home twice a year to look for any new problems. Please focus on the exterior walls and examine them for vulnerabilities.

When you find a crack or gap, it is relatively easy to use a sealant or filler to ensure it becomes unpenetrable. For larger holes, choose foam filler but first use steel wool to fill the gap and prevent rats and mice from chewing through the sealant.

Any rotten wooden window frames should be replaced. 

You should take extra care around the rafters as gaps here can allow pests to enter your attic space, and they may stay undiscovered for some time. The longer pests live in your home, the more they will breed, and your infestation will grow,

Remember that the time you take to keep your home in good repair will be far less time-consuming than trying to get rid of unwanted pests.

2. Food

Pests constantly seek new food supplies as they need sustenance to survive, especially if they have a family to feed. Removing food sources is vital to discourage them from entering your home.

Deprive pests of food, and they won’t be attracted to your property.

First of all, don’t allow your kitchen cupboards to be a larder for rats and mice. They can squeeze into gaps under doors to access your food, so you must ensure that all food is stored securely in bags with clips and sealed containers.

Next, you must practise good hygiene by clearing crumbs and wiping spillages. Tackle your kitchen worktops and your dining table.

Load your dishwasher straight away and close the door. Wash up dishes immediately rather than leaving them stacked by the sink to invite unwelcome visitors to feed from your dinner remains.

Scrape all unwanted leftovers into a lidded bin so pests cannot access your food waste, and empty your bins regularly.

If you have teens, it may be time for a stern word about plates and cups left in bedrooms. The threat of an unwanted rat might just deter a reluctant family member from being lazy.

Finally, ensure your outside bins are sealed, and your rubbish is bagged inside securely. It is worth cleaning the outside of bins to deter pests from hanging around.

3. Water

Water is essential for the majority of pests to survive. Some pests, like cockroaches, are even drawn to humidity and moisture as it keeps their bodies from drying out.

If your home suffers from condensation, consider using a dehumidifier to dry out the room. Wipe away the condensation that appears on windows.

It is essential to deal with leaks or dripping taps as puddles of water can provide a water source for pests. Don’t delay calling out a plumber, or you may have a bigger problem to deal with.

If you can eliminate water sources, any unwelcome pests will be forced to leave.

4. Clutter

Dealing with clutter is much more than making your home look like an Instagram photo.

Piles of papers, clothing, bedding or toys make great hiding places for pests, and pests do like to stay hidden. The last thing you want to do is create a haven that makes pests feel safe and secure for moving about your house.

Clutter also provides nesting material for mice and rats. They are expert nest builders who can transport mess to the perfect spot to build a nest, not just for themselves but for their growing family.

Keeping your home clean and tidy makes it less attractive to most pests. It also means you will quickly spot signs of an infestation and be better positioned to do something about it.

What to do if pests get into your home?

It can be distressing to find pests have got into your home. You may feel violated, disgusted or scared. 

You needn’t blame yourself for a pest infestation. Pests are clever creatures that can find ways to break in despite all your best efforts to keep them out.

Don’t panic. The most sensible thing you can do is call out the professionals. At EWS Group, we have fully trained technicians who are up to date on the latest techniques to eliminate pests and help prevent them from returning.

We will work with you to get rid of pests quickly and safely. Our services are always discrete and efficient.