Pest Control - Pest Proofing

There are a lot of us who will freak out at the sight of just one unwanted bug in our home. We may not care in the least about seeing one of these critters outside - but just one crawling across the floor where we can see it will cause us to use whatever means necessary to eradicate every indoor pest we can.

Roaches, ants, centipedes, silverfish, spiders and other assorted creepy crawlies are all unwelcome in our homes. Some of these guys we wouldn't give a second thought to if we saw them on the sidewalk. But let us see one on the wall and our whole agenda changes. To avoid having to experience these life-changing situations, you can pest proof your home.

Pest proofing involves keeping what's outside, outside. Most pests that we see in our home are coming there from outdoors. Often they come inside because of changes in the weather such as cooler temperatures after summer or because of heavy rains. Pest proofing involves making the house safe from their unwanted entry. Successfully pest proofing your house can prevent your ever having to see another unwelcome 6 or eight or even more legged guest.

Here are some steps you can take to make your house pest tight.

Repair all holes around the house and garage to prevent bug (and mouse for that matter) entry. Use metal hardware cloth or steel wool to seal off holes so that not only can they not get in, but can't chew or bite through the sealed hole either. Using wood will work if your problem isn't mice or you don't have mice. But if you do wood won't work because they can chew right through any wooden repair. After plugging holes with hardware cloth or steel wool, fill it with cement or mortar.

Seal the bottom of all outside entry doors by installing rubber door sweeps. Anything larger than a 1/16 of an inch gap is an invitation to insects to enter your home. Install seals on the bottom of garage doors too. These should be made of rubber and not vinyl so that they seal properly during cold weather.

Caulk door thresholds on the outside bottom and side edges.

Repair all door and window screens, which will stop the entry of flying insects. Some insects though are too small to be stopped by screens. The only way to prevent their entry is to keep windows closed when they are prevalent.

Bugs can sometimes find their way into your home through floor drains so they may need screening, too.

Use expandable foam or caulk to seal utility entrances into your home such as faucets, wiring, meters, pipes, dryer vents, etc: these are favored entry points into the home for lots of creatures.

Caulk all cracks you find around doors and windows. Clean all surfaces first and remove any peeling caulk or paint before using the caulk. Apply a smooth bead and smooth it with a moistened finger. Clear caulks hide any mistakes made better than colored ones.

Keep the foundation area clear of leaves and other types of yard debris.

Stephanie McIntyre has been a Platinum eBay Powerseller, an eBay Trading Assistant as well as an Educational Assistant trained by eBay. Her company, eSales Unlimited Inc. specializes in training small business owners in using eBay as an additional revenue stream. She maintains a site with information on selling on eBay.