What to Do If Your Home Has Bugs and Pests

Bugs and pests can range from annoying to dangerous to your household. In this post by Patriot Title Agency, Inc. in Columbus, we’ll go over the basics of what to do if your home is infested and preventing them in the future.

Identify the Pest in Your Home

So your home has some infestation. First of all, many homeowners go through this problem at least once in their life. It’s important to remember that even though there are ways to prevent infestation, in some cases, no matter how careful you’ve been, it’s still possible to get them. Some of the most common home pests are ants, termites, flies, rats, mosquitos, cockroaches, bed bugs, and mice. The first step to getting rid of the pest is identifying what kind it is. That way, you can address it quickly and targeted manner and prevent it from spreading through the rest of your home. Make sure to identify if it’s a bug like a cockroach or flies, or an animal like rats, what shape and size it is, and where it’s currently located. If you can’t find the pest but can see the damage it’s causing, make sure to identify it and any droppings you might see around it; this can also help you determine what time of pest you have on your hands.

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Make Sure Your Family is Safe

The second step you need to take is to make sure you’re family is safe. Many pests are annoying and disgusting, but this doesn’t mean they’re dangerous to your family. That being said, some pests could be potentially dangerous. If this is the case, try to isolate the issue in one room and move everyone as far away as possible. This way, you’ll ensure your family is protected.

Locate Where It Entered Your Home

Before you start spraying your house top to bottom, look for where the pest entered your home, as this is the most efficient way to exterminate it. Some places where pests usually start are:

• Kitchen: Usually, pests enter the kitchen looking for food. Sometimes people leave food waste, or food left uncovered on the counter.
• Bathroom: The bathroom is also a prime spot for pests like cockroaches to enter your home. Humidity and water can invite pests into your home.
• Patio door: Your patio door can let in animals from the outside. If your patio door doesn’t have a door screen, pests like mosquitos and flies could fly right in.

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Eliminate the Pest

Once you’ve identified the pest and where it entered your home, it’s time to choose your method of elimination. There are many methods to eliminate pests, and these will vary depending on the type of pest you have on your property. Decide if you want to do it yourself or if you want to go for a professional extermination service. When it comes to extermination, methods and products can vary significantly in toxicity levels; check the labels and follow the application instructions thoroughly. If you’re worried about extermination products around babies and small children, make sure to look for eco-friendly products. Some extermination companies also use eco-friendly products.

How to Prevent Future Pests

Finally, once eliminated, there are some steps you can go through to prevent pests from entering your home again. First, let’s go over the main reasons for pests to infest your home. The three main reasons for pests infestation are sources of food, shelter, and moisture. Addressing these three issues can significantly reduce pests from appearing in your home. To prevent pests entering your home looking for food, store it in sealed containers and dispose of garbage. Secondly, seal cracks or holes to prevent pests from using them to enter your home looking for shelter. Finally, use drain stoppers and covers to prevent bugs from crawling from your drains into your home.

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