It’s a common misconception that with the cold weather rolling in, familiar pests of warmer months have simply left us until next year. The truth is in the colder months, crawling insects and other pests that don’t go dormant in the winter can make their way into our homes and draw in mice and other rodents, looking for warmth. Additionally, winter in Tennessee bring their own set of insects and other pests to stay on the lookout for.

Here are five reasons why Homestead Pest Management is essential during the cold weather months:

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1. Mice and rats. Mice and rats require only a tiny opening or crack to gain entry into your home. They can enter through your attic and gnaw on the wires, wood beams, electrical wires and insulation.
   
2. Wood destroying insects. Carpenter ants and termites destroy the home from the inside out, so you really never see the damage until it is too late. If you find carpenter ants indoors during the winter, it is an indication that they are nesting inside walls, floors or decaying wood.
3. Sealing your home. The early winter is the best time for Homestead Pest Management’s pest control team to find all the new openings before mice seek shelter in your home or business. They will check the areas where utilities and pipes enter the home. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime.
4. Dormant insects. Many insects will hide in the attic or basement in late fall and early winter to escape the frigid winter temperatures. Spiders, cluster flies, Asian lady bugs and other bugs will remain dormant until spring. Then as the weather warms, they can easily find their way into your living spaces. By hiring Homestead Pest Management to apply a preventative treatment in these key hiding spots, it will repel insects as the weather warms.
5. Spider webs and nests. Removing webs, nests and egg cases may help prevent pests from reemerging in your home when the weather becomes warmer. Some creatures are hardwired to return to certain places, but if you get rid of all the reasons for them to return, you increase the probability that you’ll finally be saying a permanent “goodbye” to them.

• Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around the basement foundation and windows.
• Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home. Mice and ants can make their nests in wood piles and easily gain access to your home if the pile is nearby.
• Rodents can hide in clutter, so keep storage areas well organized, and store boxes off of the floor.
• Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains. Extra attention should be paid to kitchens and bathrooms as these areas are particularly vulnerable to cockroach infestations.
• Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens in windows.
• Screen vents to chimneys. Keep attics, basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

Residents of Tennessee appreciate the distinct seasons we have; however, drastic changes in weather can occasionally wreak havoc on our homes. Cracks in the foundation are the perfect place for pests to make their way into your warm, inviting home.

Fall and winter pest services are targeted at your home’s interior. One of the first things that our team looks for is anything that has changed since their last visit. It’s extremely common for a Homestead Service Specialists to find new openings that didn’t exist at their most recent visit. They’ll also check out any rodent protection equipment that they’ve put in place. This will help to indicate if there is any new rodent activity, and where it might be coming from.

Homestead residential services are tailored to the homeowner’s individual needs, and in winter, our trained service experts focus primarily on the interior of the house, searching for any openings where pests could enter. Our Service Specialists will notify the homeowner if any such openings are located, and seal those openings to ensure pests remain outside. In the meantime, spider webs will also be knocked down and cleaned out in the home’s interior. Your pest control expert will also target your home’s basement for a preventative pesticide treatment for crawling insects.

Our clients are left with a detailed inspection report, outlining the things that they’ve observed and if applicable, an action plan moving forward.

Don’t mistake winter as a time to lay off on the pest control services – It allows you preparation time for the warm seasons ahead! Homestead Pest Management is your trusted pest control expert. Call 731-422-2643 or fill out our form today to contact Homestead Pest Management about your winter pest control needs.