How to keep insects, rodents, and pests away from your home

It’s never pleasant to discover that uninvited guests, such as mice, ants, or even skunks, have gotten into your home. Unfortunately, insects, rodents, and other pests are good at barging in where you don’t expect them—and don’t want them.

Fortunately, you can keep these unwanted intruders away and protect your home effectively by taking certain precautions and adopting some best practices. Find tips here on how to keep pests away from your property and home.

Pests that damage your home—and your health! 

While pests can cause serious property damage in your home, they also threaten the health of its occupants. Some of them, such as mice and cockroaches, can transmit diseases and cause things like allergies and asthma. Other animals may pose risks to your family’s health by simply being on your property or around the perimeter of your home. This is the case for bats, whose droppings may contain microscopic fungi that can have serious consequences on human health. 

Pests in the home: Prevention beats repair

The first line of defence against pests is rigorous maintenance of your property. Small details can often have a big impact. It’s essential to ensure that every corner of your home is well maintained so as not to provide easy entry for vermin and rodents.

Maintain the roof and gutters

Damaged or missing shingles, poorly secured or clogged gutters, a leaky roof—these are all invitations for pests. Insects love wet areas created by clogged gutters or water seepage, while rats and mice can take advantage of a damaged roof to get into your attic. Inspect the foundation, windows, roof, and gutters frequently and promptly repair damage as required to prevent pests from entering your home. 

Seal cracks and gaps

Ants, spiders, earwigs, and other insects slip through tiny cracks in foundations, walls, or around doors and windows. Use mastic or a suitable sealant to fill these openings. Also check the condition of stone and brick joints, as they can erode over time.

Protect appliance outlets and drain inlets

Appliance outlets are often direct passageways for small animals—things like your heat pump, dryer, and ventilation system outlets, drain inlets, and chimney. Install wire mesh or metal screening to prevent intrusion.

Keep your property clean and unappealing to pests

To keep wild animals away from your property, it’s essential to watch for signs of their presence while frequently maintaining your property. Keep an eye out for droppings and nests. Also, make sure your property is unappealing to these pests by checking that there are no shelters, food sources, plants, or flowers to attract them.

Remember outbuildings and stored vehicles

Protection against pests doesn’t stop at your main residence. It’s just as important to consider outbuildings, such as your shed and garage, and recreational vehicles stored on your property. As with your home, seal cracks and make sure doors to buildings and outdoor facilities close properly. Store food and cleaning products in airtight containers. As for stored vehicles, consider using appropriate protective covers, block openings such as exhaust pipes, leave no food packaging lying around, and inspect the interior regularly to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Effective tools for keeping pests at bay 

In addition to preventive measures—regular maintenance of your property being one of them—there’s a range of products that can help you keep pests at bay, from ultrasonic devices to spray repellents. But be careful! Some of these products can be toxic to humans, pets, and even the environment. It’s essential to choose and use these products with care!

Ultrasonic devices

These devices are popular for keeping rodents and certain insects at bay. They emit sounds that are inaudible to humans, but unpleasant to these pests. Although not always100% effective, they can help beef up your defence plan against these pests.

Natural repellents

Choose repellents based on natural ingredients that are less harmful. For example, some essential oils such as peppermint are known to repel mice, while white vinegar can be an effective ant repellent. You can also spruce up your yard with plants known to repel insects. Lavender, basil, tansy, and lemon balm have proven to be effective. 

Traps

If you find a pest on your property and prevention measures prove ineffective in getting rid of it, you can switch to control methods: trapping and poisoning. Traps and poisons for vermin and rodents can be dangerous for you, your family, your pets, and the environment. Follow all safety precautions when handling them and make sure you use only authorized, over-the-counter products.

When should you call in a professional? 

Even if you apply all the preventive measures mentioned above, pests may still manage to infiltrate your home or property. If you have the slightest doubt, it’s essential to call in a pest control specialist as soon as possible. Don’t delay, as some animals, including rodents, carpenter ants, and termites, can cause significant damage before you even notice their presence.

These experts can not only identify the source of the problem, but  also eliminate the pests safely and effectively, while advising you on lasting solutions to prevent the situation from recurring.

Pests and home insurance 

What happens if a pest causes damage to your property? Are you covered by your home insurance in this situation? Short answer: It depends on the damage.

It’s important to know that damage caused directly by pests, such as insects, rodents, birds, raccoons, and bats, is not covered by your home insurance. This includes damage they may cause to your home, such as deterioration of materials or structural damage. However, if a property is damaged by a covered risk and the damage results from the presence of these animals, it may be protected by your insurance. In the event of damage or repairs, even if these are not covered, it’s important to notify your insurer.

If you have any questions about what is covered by your home insurance, contact your damage insurance representative, who will provide you with information and advice on the best coverage for your needs.

Lastly, rigorous maintenance and appropriate preventive measures should keep vermin and other pests away from your home and property. If, despite your best efforts, they do find their way in, act quickly and, if necessary, call in a professional to effectively get rid of them!