When pestered by pests

CEBU, Philippines — Perhaps some of the most annoying intruders to the home are pests. These creatures often make their entry and presence unnoticed – until damage is done. Such damage can be much more than the breakdown and destruction of the family’s possessions… it can also mean compromising the family’s health.

Flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rodents can make their way to the home from virtually nowhere. We don’t see them coming until… well, until they’re there. Even with the pests that do not really present any immediate threat, the mere thought of having them around can be quite a mental torture.

Food and clothing are commonly lost to pests. A single fly landing on food would render the food unclean. A nice piece of clothing with a hole created by a mouse would now be useless. Similar damage could also involve expensive home appliances whose wirings had caught the interest of mice.

Most people feel helpless at the onslaught of pests, especially mice and rats. It’s never a pleasant idea to live in a house pestered by pests. The use of poisons does not seem like a good idea to home owners, especially those with little kids for fear that the little ones might inadvertently ingest some of it.

Pest prevention experts suggest making sure that entry points are sealed tight to keep insects, mice and other critters away. The website www.searshomeservices.com states that in case of “a brick-sized hole in your house from which you could see the outdoors, you’d cover it up pretty quickly so you wouldn’t have any unwanted visitors.” Likewise, all the crevices around windows, pipes and wires, along with the small holes under poorly attached siding or near soffits shall be sealed properly.

The website shares the suggestions of Bill Britt, a national training manager for Sears Home Improvement Products, on how to keep critters at bay:

1. Seal your windows.

Make sure your screens fit well so bugs can’t get in. “We’ve got a cool window with an integral screen frame that stops bug infiltration,” Britt says. It even has covered weep holes, the small holes that allow for water drainage. For a quick fix, if you’ve got some loose wires on your screens, you can push them back in place with pliers. For a torn screen, try applying clear nail polish.

2. Check for gaps in your doors.

Replace rotted or damaged trim, which could provide a way for bugs to get in. (Keep in mind that damp wood might be a sign of termite damage.) Another easy entry for bugs is between the bottom of the door and the threshold. A door sweep can help cover a gap between the two. The hardware store would have an adjustable threshold that helps to get full contact for a tight seal. Use weather stripping or a door seal kit around the frame.

3. Update your soffits.

“Walk the exterior,” Britt suggests. Look for rotted fascia boards and cracked or missing soffit panels. All of these provide a doorway for insects, mice, and rats. “You can install a maintenance-free soffit system that allows for ventilation but also protects against anything coming in,” he says.

4. Use flashing to stay dry.

Those valleys on your roof and the connections alongside your chimney are where you’ll suffer water penetration. “If you get wet wood, you’re asking for termites to come eat,” Britt says. Make sure you have the correct flashing and a sound roof and that “you keep that whole under deck dry.”

5. Install siding to block exterior crawl spaces.

“Rats and mice eat your electrical wires or plumbing,” Britt says. They can easily get in when vinyl siding isn’t installed all the way to the ground. “Doing this will slow down, if not stop, critters from nesting under your home.”

Having a fine mesh-screen at doors and windows will help keep mosquitoes away. With the now ever-present threat of dengue, mosquitoes have become a major concern for the family. It takes only a single bite from a carrier mosquito to get the disease.

Proper house maintenance – with pests in mind – will go a long way in protecting the family’s safety and health. Inspecting and sealing off every possible entry point of pests to the house shall be a regular procedure.  It can prevent big problems down the road.