Live Near a Wooded Area? 3 Tips to Protect Your Home from Pests

Living near the woods is supposed to be peaceful and idyllic. But, when those woodland pests start invading your home, it’s anything but that.

Thankfully, we have ways of keeping those pests out. Here are three tips to protect your home from pests when you live near a wooded area.

Tip #1: Rake the Leaves

Fallen leaves are a haven for many insects and other pests that may venture into your home. To keep them away, keep all fallen debris away from your house.

It’s not necessary to remove all leaves from your yard, but creating a buffer zone of several feet around your foundation and exterior walls will help. Pests use debris like fallen leaves as a sort of covered bridge that leads right to your house. Removing that bridge discourages them from coming close to your home.

Tip #2: Keep Vegetation Trimmed

In the same manner as yard debris, pests will use any vegetation touching your home’s exterior as an access route. Keep all vegetation trimmed back and maintain a few feet of separation between the house and plants.

This tip includes landscaping. Refrain from placing landscape plants directly against exterior walls and use rocks instead of mulch as a topper. Keep grass and weeds down or remove them from within your buffer zone.

Trim any branches from nearby trees that come close to your house as well. Not only is this a good safety tip to prevent fallen limb damage, but it will also eliminate potential avenues for pests.

Tip #3: Seal All Cracks

This is a good tip for any home, but those situated near wooded areas are especially prone to pests entering through cracks. Woodland pests like stink bugs actively seek out entry points to your home and can get through even the smallest cracks.

Make sure all doors and windows have intact seals. Also look for any interior and exterior cracks and seal them. This will also help lower heating and cooling costs, so it’s a win-win.

The goal for pest prevention in a home near woodlands is to eliminate entry points. Pests come from nature, so they will always be there. But, as long as we don’t give them access to our homes, they will mostly stay outside.

At Gibson Pest Control, we help keep North Carolina pest-free. Contact us today and we can help develop a plan to keep pests out of your home.