Firewood storage

Store any firewood at least 20 feet from the home. Mice and ants can make their nests in woodpiles and easily gain access to your home if the pile is near or touching your home.

Seal your home

Seal cracks and holes on the outside of your home to help prevent rodents from getting inside. Be sure to check the areas where utilities and pipes enter the home. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime.

Don’t leave out food

Overwintering pests that find a stack of dishes with tasty morsels on them will be happy to stay in the common areas and to actively drive you nuts. Always leave a sink full of soapy water and soak your dishes until you get around to washing them. Not only will this keep bugs from having a feast, but it will also make your dishes easier to clean when you get around to them.

Uncovered trash

This is a food source and breeding ground for bugs. Always seal your trash whether it is inside or outside. And refrain from getting one of those rocker lids. Rocker lids do not keep fruit flies out and they tend to prop open when the trash gets full. If your house is like mine, you probably don’t have any proactive trash removers. It is usually only when the trash is piling up over the brim that something gets done about it. Get a can with a pedal that lifts the lid for you, or one with an easy button.

Regular checks

Get a jump start on those bugs and rodents and prevent spring infestations before they begin.  Or if you’ve got pests that snuck in this past fall, American’s home pest control pros will identify the problems and set you on a path towards a pest-free home.