Click play to listen to Don’t Let Fall Pests Haunt Your Home.

As the heat of summer gives way to chillier temperatures this fall, we’re headed inside to stay warm and comfy with family and friends.

But the coziness of the indoors can be appealing to some uninvited guests, too. Pests like insects and rodents seek the warmth and moisture of the areas inside and around your home, like the basement, attic, crawl space, garage, or even within the walls.

How Pests Infest Your Home

In addition to compromising structural aspects of your home, pest activity can impact the safety of your indoor environment by introducing infectious diseases and waste. Needless to say, a pest infestation is not something you want to deal with. Let’s take a look at the primary ways these critters can enter your home during the fall season.

Fireplace

A properly ventilated fireplace is essential in maintaining healthy Indoor Air Quality. But ventilation systems can become clogged or broken over time, eventually allowing access from the outdoors through small cracks or damaged mesh barriers. Climbers like squirrels, rats, and raccoons could gain access to the house or become stuck in the chimney.

If you’re unsure of how to clean and maintain your fireplace, have it inspected by a professional so you can enjoy it worry-free all fall and winter.

Drafty Windows and Doors

Where there’s a draft, there’s a way into your home for tiny pests. Check all exterior doors on your home, garage, or shed to ensure you’re not letting heat out or critters in. Some doors and windows may need added weather stripping or insulation to plug holes and cracks. Don’t forget about pet doors either.

Attic or Garage

Whether or not they’re heated or fully insulated, attics and garages are prone to pest activity because they provide protection from the weather. If you’re not often using those spaces, it can be hard to determine if you have a pest problem. But annual inspections of the structures should reveal any potential issues like cracks, holes, or unwanted moisture.

Foliage Piles

Some animals and insects will build nests inside piles of unkempt foliage or wood, taking advantage of the insulation provided by leaves or wood piles. Plus, there’s another pest that can thrive in these damp areas—mold. To avoid the growth of mold in your yard, properly elevate and store wood piles and dispose of leaf piles before they can turn moldy. And keep wood piles far enough away from your house so you don’t encourage any nesting critters to find their way indoors.