Are you looking for information on how to keep bugs out of your house? When you live in subtropical Florida—where there’s virtually no end to the rain, heat and humidity for several months at a time—keeping creepy crawlers out of your house and off your porch is problematic.
Termites, cockroaches, ants, flies and all kinds of other bugs thrive in our climate. Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks that will help you keep them away from your home. Keep reading to find out more about how to keep bugs out of your house in Florida.
What are the Signs that You Have Bugs in Your Home?
Before you try to get rid of any bugs, you need to know that you actually have them in the first place. There are many different types of insects that can infest your home. Some are more common in Florida than others, but here are some common signs of infestation:
– Seeing evidence of an infestation: Typically when you see one or two insects, there are many more. This is especially true with bugs such as ants and cockroaches.
– Finding holes in your walls or other parts of your home. Some types of bugs, like carpenter ants, love to make nests in your walls. If you see holes or broken chunks of drywall, you may have a problem on your hands. You may also see debris like sawdust when you have a carpenter ant infestation.
– Discovering blood or droppings on your bedsheets or pillowcases: Insects like bed bugs and fleas love to make themselves at home in your bed. They bite you at night and leave droppings on your sheets.
– Insects in your kitchen and pantry: Some insects, like roaches and ants will happily eat your food crumbs. You may find bags of chips or crackers with larvae in them (yuck!).
For example, cockroaches will eat just about anything. They are scavengers and always on the hunt for food that you leave behind. Most often, we see cockroaches in our homes because they have found something that we have left out that they like to eat.
The best course of action is to keep food off the counter and properly stored.
How to Keep Bugs Out of Your House: Store Food in Airtight Containers
Consider purchasing Tupperware bins specifically for dry food. There are glass and plastic cereal containers you can buy to help keep pests out. Even dry pasta noodles can have their own container.
Food that comes in a box, like crackers or cereal, must be tightly closed. If you cannot close the box, resort to containers. Insects will also eat items such as whole grains, oats, and crackers. If you have these kinds of food in your house without proper storage, you will get bugs. This is especially true for pantry pests.
Some bugs also love to eat pet food, especially dog and cat food. If you keep pet food out in your house, it can attract insects. You’ll want to tightly seal the food or keep it in an airtight container. You can find large Tupperware containers to keep pet food inside.
Seal Up Windows and Doors
It may sound obvious, but bugs can fly in through open windows and doors. What’s worse is that they can come in through closed windows and doors as well. This is especially true if there are cracks and holes present.
One idea is to seal up your windows and doors with new caulking. This is an effective way to keep insects out of your home. Choose silicone caulking as it’s moisture-resistant.
Another option is to install door sweeps. These are easy to install and will help keep your home more energy efficient. You can also add weather stripping to your doors to create an extra seal. This will keep your indoor temperature feeling comfortable while keeping bugs away. Weather stripping can be purchased at most hardware stores.
Install Screening on Windows and Doors
If you live in an old house, you may notice that you have bugs crawling in through the window screens. If this is the case, you may want to invest in some screening to seal those openings up.
You can buy roll screening at your local hardware store and easily cut it to size. While you’re there, you may also want to pick up some steel wool for extra protection against pests. You can stuff the steel wool into the holes around your doors and windows to keep out bugs, mice, roaches and other pests.
If you want an even more permanent solution, you can install insect screening with magnets on your doors to keep them closed when they’re not in use.
Use Natural Scents and DIY Sprays to Repel Bugs
If you’re not interested in killing all the bugs, you may want to try to repel them instead. Some bugs hate cilantro, while others really don’t like citrus. Citrus also makes a great natural insect repellent. You can also use herbs and spices to keep bugs away.
Some of the best herbs to repel bugs include peppermint, lemon balm and catnip. Peppermint oil helps repel beetles, fleas, moths, flies and aphids.
You can make an insect-repelling spray by following this recipe. You can also use spices like cinnamon and cayenne pepper to repel bugs.
While DIY pesticides are always an option, the truth is that they don’t always work. Click to read our blog on what to do if your DIY pest control attempts fail.
Call Pest Control
If none of these tips work and you have an infestation, you should call pest control. Pest control companies can help you get rid of any bugs that you may have in your home.
While you’re waiting for them to arrive, you can do everything listed above. Once the pest control company arrives, they will look around for any signs of pests and entry points. It can be difficult to find pest entry points for many people. The good news is that a pest control company can help.
How to Keep Bugs Out of Your House: Contact Drive-Bye Exterminators
One of the best ways to keep bugs out of your home is to keep them from coming in in the first place. That means keeping your doors and windows shut when you aren’t at home. You can also install screens on your windows to keep bugs out. Seal any cracks or holes in your exterior that bugs could use as entry points.
Drive-Bye Exterminators is ready to help you keep bugs out of the house. This includes ants, cockroaches, and much more. Keep in mind that insects carry a myriad of diseases, including salmonella and e coli. Getting rid of bugs in your home is the best thing you can do for your health. Contact us today when you need professional intervention with pest control.
