How to Prevent Bugs in House
A common question is, “How do I prevent bugs from entering my yard and house? What am I doing wrong?”
First, bugs were here before us, and odds are, bugs will be here after us, but there are steps we can take to get them under control.
Preventing Bugs in the Yard
- Bugs, like humans, need a few of the same things. First is water. Check to see if the drip system is watering correctly or overwatering. Also, check if the drip is on the plant or away from it. Yard debris, such as leaf and grass clippings, can hide bugs. Clean those up as well.
- Grass, I cannot tell how many ants people get from grass. From an ant’s perspective, the grass in your yard is more significant than Central Park and full of luscious water for them, and it keeps coming. Do not overwater your grass or, if possible, switch to turf.
- The a/c has a condenser pipe that usually comes from your house and drops water next to it. Add some extra PVC to drain the water away from your home.
- Food! We love it, and so do bugs. I’m cooking on the BBQ grill and accidentally drop a burger, and some grease is now on the ground. Give it a few minutes, and you will see ants. Also, crumbs are a huge factor, and people fail to realize that you must see it from a bug’s point of view. If you get on the ground and see it at eye level, you might visit all the droppings. We want to pick up those crumbs (trust me I still ask my kids every time they go outside knowing it will never happen).
- Drinks are great unless they are full of sugar and get spilled. Now I am not here to lecture you about your diet or choice of beverage, but I have personally seen first-hand drinks getting knocked over and ants come out very fast looking for the excellent stuff, named sugar. Help prevent bugs by putting drinks in a cup that cannot spill or cleaning up spilled drinks immediately. Throw out paper towels used to clean up drinks in a bag and tie that bag.
Preventing Bugs from Entering the House
That covers the yard; now, let’s talk about the house. When it comes to preventing bugs from entering the house, this can be done, except for ants. Because ants are tiny and can dig under your home, I will not lie and inform you that you can be ant-free or seal out ants.
If there is a gap, it can be sealed. I recommend caulk more than anything else. Look for a bird block (the mesh under your roof line), look around for gaps, and check the hose bib, light fixtures, windows, electrical box, garage door frame, etc.
The most significant entry point for most homes is what they call the J trim. It is for all stucco homes and where the walls meet the foundation. Simply take a mirror and look at it; you will find significant, massive gaps where any bugs can crawl through. Again, I highly recommend using caulk because there are no air gaps like in foam. Caulk can also last several years. Also, if you are considering doing this yourself, don’t forget to seal off the pillars by your front door or backyard patio area. It’s often overlooked, but bugs can enter through those, too. Also, if you do it yourself, please go slow and thorough. You need the seal to be perfect because any gaps will allow bugs to enter.
For the best and most thorough bug control, you can contact Family First Pest Control and ensure that you get rid of bugs in your home. Contact us today!
