How to Protect Your New Home From Pests This Fall in Memphis TN

How to Protect Your New Home From Pests This Fall in Memphis TN

Pests affect around 600,000 homes in the United States each year. So no matter how tidy your home looks, you aren’t immune to a pest infestation. Getting on top of an infestation is vital if you want to minimize damage to your property. 

In fact, every year termite issues alone cost Americans $5 billion to repair! However, you can save yourself a lot of money by using do it yourself pest control preventative measures. 

Want to know more about how to protect your home from pests this fall? Then you’re in the right place! 

Read on to find out our top tips for protecting your new home from pests this fall.

Common Pest Control Problems in Fall

Throughout the year, different pest problems can affect your home. This is because different seasons bring out different pests. So knowing what to look for in fall won’t be the same as summer! 

In Memphis, winter and fall can bring certain pests out of the woodwork (or into it!) Some of these unwelcome guests include: 

  • Rodents, such as mice, roof rats, and raccoons
  • Ants and ant nests
  • Cockroaches
  • Other insects, including mosquitos, spiders, and stinkbugs

One of the biggest issues for winter and fall is that the drop in temperature means these pests are more likely to come into your home. And once they arrive they won’t want to leave!

This is why it’s important to prevent pests where possible and to get on top of any issues as quickly as you can. The best way to do this is to create an unwelcoming environment for them. This doesn’t mean your home will be unpleasant for you to live in, it just won’t be what a pest is looking for!

Let’s take a look at what you need to do to start pest-proofing your home for the fall.

Inspecting Your Home

As fall comes around, the first thing you need to do is take a good look around your new home. This is the best way of spotting potential issues as soon as possible. 

Some pest problems, such as broken screens or cracks in walls are easy to spot. However, you should also have a close look in your attics, crawl spaces, and basements. Doing a thorough inspection at the beginning of the season will mean you don’t miss anything! 

This is also a good time to keep an eye out for any existing signs of pests in your home. For example, droppings at the backs of cupboards or in your basement suggest a rodent issue. Or you may find an ants nest tucked away somewhere.

Even if there isn’t much other evidence of pests in your home, this is when it’s a good idea to get in touch with pest control companies. They’ll be able to do a more thorough inspection and deal with any infestations. You don’t want to take a chance with this and give the problem a chance to escalate!

Once you’ve carried out your inspection you’ll have an idea of problems that need fixing. Let’s take a look at what these issues might include and some of the “do it yourself” pest control tips to deal with them! 

Keep Moisture to a Minimum

As the temperature becomes milder in Memphis during the fall, rainwater and other moisture take longer to dry out. This means that any moisture in your home will linger. 

Pests often seek out homes with moisture in them because they need this to survive. So keeping your home dry will help to keep the pests away. There are a couple of ways you can do this. 

Keeping your home well ventilated is key. Make sure your bathrooms are fitted with proper fans and keep your windows open where possible. For tricky-to-ventilate areas, like your basement or garage, you can use dehumidifiers.

Your drains and plumbing system are another potential source of moisture in your home. Staying on top of your drain maintenance will stop these from becoming a problem. This is why it’s a good idea to have a proper outdoor drainage system in place before winter arrives.

You should also check your roof tiles and clean out your gutters. This is another way that moisture can get into your home. Keeping these in good shape will also protect your home from a number of other weather-related issues in the winter!

Block Their Entrances

The best way to keep pests out of your home is to block their way in! This can be trickier than it sounds as pests can often get through tiny cracks or holes.

Some places to look for cracks include: 

  • Around utility pipes coming into your home 
  • Around the foundation of your home 
  • Around your home’s windows 
  • In and underneath doorframes 

If you find any cracks you should seal these with caulk or steel wool. If you aren’t certain how to do this, a local expert will be able to help you. 

Obviously, you can’t block every entrance to your home. This is where installing screens can help.

Having screens over your windows, doors, chimneys, and pet flaps will help keep pests out. It is important that you check these regularly for tears and replace them if there is a problem.

Keep Your Home Clean and Tidy

Keeping your home in good shape will also deter pests from coming in, especially rodents. If they can’t find food in your home then they are less likely to settle there. 

This is why it is important to keep your food stored away properly and not to leave it out on the kitchen counters. Ideally, store your food in air-tight containers in your cupboards, so mice can’t get into it. Pests will also happily go for dog or cat food so don’t leave this sitting out for too long either. 

When getting rid of garbage, make sure you empty your bins regularly and close them properly. If a pest sees a chance to get into your bins you will end up with a big mess on your hands! 

Keeping the rest of your home clean also gives pests fewer places to hide. Piles of laundry or messy floors make the perfect homes for spiders and mice. So try to keep your floors and surfaces clear!

Check What You Bring In

Even if you’ve blocked the entrances to your home, you can bring pests in with you. This is most common with insects.

This is why it’s important to check yourself and anything you bring in with you, especially if you live in the countryside.

Before going into your home, check your clothes and shoes for signs of insects. You should also check in your grocery bags or on deliveries that have been sitting outside. 

If you are bringing something in from your garage or outhouse, make sure you check this thoroughly first. These places are harder to secure against pests. The last thing you want is to bring a pest in yourself!

Be Careful About Storing Firewood

As the temperature dips, you might be thinking ahead to the winter and stocking up your firewood supplies. If so, be careful about how you arrange your wood. This can make the perfect home for a whole host of pests. 

Rather than stacking your firewood against your home, keep it at least twenty feet away. This means pests won’t have anywhere to hide when trying to find a way into your house! 

For the same reason, it’s a good idea to keep the shrubbery around your home trimmed back. Overgrown bushes or hedges will mask potential entrances for pests.

Dealing With an Infestation

Putting these “do it yourself” pest control tips in place can help to keep pests out of your home during the fall. However, as their name suggests, they are extremely sneaky and some may still find their way in. 

If so, the most important thing to do is the deal with the problem as soon as possible. The sooner you deal with a pest problem, the easier it will be to handle. Once a problem becomes established and pests begin to breed, it can take a long time to get rid of them all!

This is why you should get professional help at the first sign of a pest problem. They’ll be able to provide expert advice on the best way to manage different pests. And they have access to the best pest control products on the market, to deal with your problem in no time at all.

Protect Your Home With Do it Yourself Pest Control Tips or Get Professional Help

As you can see, there are plenty of things you can do to discourage pests from coming into your home. Keep these do it yourself pest control tips in mind for a pest-free home this fall. 

For more help dealing with your pest control issues, get in touch with expert pest control services today. We’re here to help!

Fall and Winter Pest Forecast for Memphis

Top 4 Pests You Should Be Aware of For Fall

Updated December 2019

Although most people think of summer as peak pest problem season, many Memphis residents don’t realize is cooler weather brings more fall and winter pests.

As the days get shorter and the temperatures lower, insects and rodents look for a warm place to stay. If you’re not careful, these pests may choose your home as their cozy winter habitat.

Rascally Rodents and Unwanted Animals

It’s common for rats, mice, and squirrels to congregate in attics during the winter months. As the heat rises, attics tend to be the warmest location in the house and offer plenty of room to roam or sleep in the insulation — hence the rise in roof rats.

Rodents love having access to lots of materials to chew on. They chew on things constantly to keep their teeth from growing too long. This can be a danger to homes when chewing on wires can cause house fires.

Rodents often bring other problems into your home as well. They are carriers of disease and could make your family sick. Rats and mice carry several diseases which can spread to humans by contact with their urine, feces, or saliva. In addition, rodents can be hosts to other pests such as fleas, lice, and ticks. These pests could cause further issues in your home and may aid in spreading diseases to humans.

While raccoons or opossums aren’t considered rodents, they are definitely pests and may find their way inside your home to live in your attic, basement, or walls. Raccoons are concerning because they can be aggressive and may carry rabies and other diseases.

Intuitive Insects

  • Ants: Ants can be a year-round problem but often get worse in the fall when they enter homes in search of food.
  • Cockroaches: Cockroaches are a year-round problem and are one of the more dangerous pests. They have the potential to spread up to 33 different kinds of bacteria and can trigger asthma and allergic reactions.
  • Mosquitos: While you may think mosquitoes will go away once summer is over, they remain a force to be reckoned with well into the fall. They’re known for leaving itchy welts on people and animals.
  • Spiders: In the winter, spiders can enter the house on firewood or through holes in ripped screens or gaps in siding. Spiders look for a warm place to winter over and will spin nests indoors to find flying insects.
  • Stinkbugs: These odorous pests are more common in the fall. They aren’t dangerous but can be annoying and leave a nasty odor if frightened, disturbed, or squished. Their droppings can also damage fabrics.

Preventing Fall and Winter Pest Invasions

Pest management in a year-round process. To prepare your home to avoid fall and winter pest invasions, consider these pest prevention tips:

  • Seal any cracks in the foundation, siding, and around windows.
  • Fix or replace screen doors or windows in need of repair.
  • Store food in sealed, airtight containers.
  • Clean and sanitize the kitchen and bathrooms often.
  • Eliminate standing water near your home.
  • Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back away from your home.
  • Store firewood on an elevated surface away from your home.

Do you need professional help with fall or winter pests in Memphis? Call the experts at Inman-Murphy Termite & Pest Control. We offer professional pest control services for any pest issue you’re facing. Contact us for a free estimate today.

Top 4 Pests You Should Be Aware of For Fall

Fall time can bring an increase in unwanted pests. Protect your home and yard by being aware of the pesky insects and creatures you may come in contact with this fall. These are the top four invaders you should be aware of in your home or yard.

Pesky Flies

The problem of flies can start in the summer months, but they tend to hit their peak in the fall after having all summer to increase in numbers. As the temperatures outside drop, fruit flies and house flies make their way inside where it’s warm and cozy. The occasional house fly may seem like an annoyance, but keep in mind they’re known to carry diseases such as dysentery, tuberculosis, and diarrhea.

Furry Rodents

Mice and rats are looking for warm places to call home for the winter. Attics, walls, closets, pantries, and basements are inviting spaces. Look for exterior holes in your home where a rodent may be able to squeeze inside. Watch for droppings or listen for scratching sounds coming from walls and take care of a rodent infestation right away.

Ants of All Kinds

Carpenter ants, sugar ants, pavement ants, you name it. Maybe you noticed an increase in ants entering your home over the summer and thought your ant problems were over. Cool weather may bring ants indoors again as they move their colonies inside to escape the chill. An exterminator can help reach a solution faster than other home pest control remedies.

Various Invaders

In the fall, you may notice more stink bugs, ladybugs, and spiders. Not counting dangerous spiders, these basic insects typically cause more nuisance than harm to you or your home as they look for a warm place to wait out the winter. Closing windows and caulking cracks in your walls or windows can help reduce the temptation for these guys to find their way inside.

Do you have rodent or insect problem in your home? Call Inman-Murphy pest control right away. We’ll remove any unwanted infestation from your home so you can relax knowing your house is clear. We serve the entire Memphis metro area including: Atoka, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, and Millington

How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House this Fall

How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House this Fall

As the seasons change, spiders may begin to make their residence in your home. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the number of unwanted spiders who enter.

Here are a few tips to help keep spiders out of your home this fall.

Seal Up Cracks

Spiders sneak into your home through small cracks in the walls or windows. Look for small cracks throughout your home where spiders may enter and seal these cracks with caulking material. This can also be useful around wires, cables, and faucets that run to the outside.

Keep Plants and Shrubs Away From the Perimeter of Your Home

Spiders love to hide out in trees, shrubs, and plants. Trim back trees or shrubs and remove plants to keep spiders from crawling from the vegetation and into small cracks in your home.

Keep Your House Tidy and Clean

Clutter and mess give spiders plenty of spaces to hide. A clean home offers them less of a reason to stay. Vacuum and sweep your floors and wipe down counters. Avoid dirty dishes in the sink and clean up leftover food. Remove clutter and dirty shoes from dark places where they can hide.

Vacuum Spiders and Webs

Get rid of spiders and their eggs right away by vacuuming up spiders and nests. This is helpful when you see a spider or two, but this may not help if you have a spider infestation. In this case, professional help may be needed.

Call a Professional Exterminator

Having a spider or two in your home this fall is no cause for alarm. But if you notice an influx of spiders in your home, you may have a spider infestation. A professional exterminator can come to your home to help control this problem.

Do you have a spider problem in your home? Call us right away to schedule an appointment for a professional exterminator. We’ll get rid of your spider problems so you can rest at ease.

Fall Pest Prevention Tips for Memphis Residents

Spiders, beetles, box elder bugs, rodents, and other pests begin to move indoors as temperatures drop and cooler weather approaches. These pests like to use walls, voids, basements and attics as their winter retreats.

First and foremost, take the right steps to prevent a rodent infestation.

Those steps include:

What can you do?

  1. Don’t allow pet foods and bird seed to accumulate in your yard, garage or anywhere around the house
  2. Make sure wood piles and vegetation are away from the sides of the house
  3. Ensure that your trash bins have secure lids, and don’t over fill them
  4. Turn over your compost pile regularly to check that rodents haven’t infested it – they love compost