If you think you can find every tiny hole and itty bitty crack where bugs can wiggle into your house, congrats on your confidence. And your eyesight.
“Pests can get into a home in so many different ways,” says Dillon Beardall, a manager at Lawn Buddies.
The truth is, an ant can crawl in through an opening just 1/25 of an inch. Lots of other annoying insects just need a hole the size of a pencil eraser.
How good are you at squinting?
So, where do pests usually enter a house? How do you inspect a house for pest problems?
Check for gaps in window frames and holes in screens. Does your chimney have a secure cap? Keep your landscaping shrubs, trees and plants from touching your house. Is your crawl space secure? Take a good look at your foundation for cracks where bugs can sneak in.
Keep reading to learn more about common pest entry points and Beardall’s pro tips.
You probably don’t pay a lot of attention to your home’s foundation, and it’s as if pests know that.
It’s common for small cracks to form over time in a concrete foundation, and it’s easy not to notice them. But bugs notice.
It’s a good idea to take a close look now and then and fill even the tiniest cracks with caulk or material designed to patch concrete. Occasional home pest inspections will reveal pest-inviting cracks so you can repair them.
You probably have shrubs and plants growing close to your foundation, too, which is like a green leafy welcome mat for bugs.
That’s why the foundation is a key target area for perimeter pest control, to nab bugs while they’re on the outside before they make their way in. (More about this helpful service in a bit.)
This is a no-brainer, right? If you can fit through your doors, any number of pests can make themselves welcome, too.
The thing is, they can get through even when doors and windows are closed, through gaps by the windowsill or damaged screens or in the skinny space under doors.
“People leave windows open with loose screens all the time,” Beardall says. “It’s funny how often you see screens out of the windows completely of some bedrooms and they’re just sitting below the window.”
That’s just inviting a huge pest party. Close things up.
“People are always saying, ‘I’ve got so many spiders in my garage,’” Beardall says. “Well, garage doors are always super loose, the weather stripping is worn, they’re left open all the time, so of course you see bugs there.”
Where do pests come in? Do you have a crawl space?
Besides being a great location to film a horror movie, these dark, often damp areas are common pest entry points.
Once they’ve made it this far, it’s not a tricky feat for them to wriggle into the main area of your home.
Whether your home is covered in vinyl, aluminum, wood or brick, your siding is another prime area where cracks and gaps can happen.
Pay extra attention to the spots where the siding butts up against the trim. Bugs are paying extra attention, often sliding into your house at these vulnerable spots.
Designed as openings where air can pass in and out of your house, bugs see it as easy access.
Think about all the rooms where these hardworking features are, from the dryer vents in your laundry room to the exhaust vents in your kitchen to the fans in your bathroom.
How do you inspect a house for pest problems? Check your utility lines.
That’s right. Any spot where utility lines carry your water, gas, electricity, or cable into your house are small convenient highways for pests.
We know how much you love your Gold Mound spirea, Diablo ninebark and Ivory Halo dogwood.
So do bugs
. When those leafy beauties touch your house, they’re natural bridges and ladders for pests to climb your home’s siding or skitter up onto the roof, where their beady bug eyes will scan for tiny access openings.
Keep landscaping trimmed back away from your house.
“Try not to let things get overgrown,” Beardall says. “It’s hard for us to treat for insects in those areas because the plants are blocking the areas that are most crucial to treat.”
And while we’re on the topic, keep landscaping debris tidied up, too. Insect pests love it.
Where do pests come in? Don’t forget to look up.
Pests love your roofline, from box elder bugs that gather up there in hordes for cozy warmth to persistent furry critters with sharp teeth who will chew a hole right through to scamper inside.
That’s right. No opening is safe.
Boxelder bugs, especially, love and seek out heat. That means they often make their sneaky way in through electrical outlets and heating ducts — common pest entry points you likely wouldn’t even think to check.
Bugs are counting on you not knowing this one.
“Good practices go a long way,” Beardall says, “But insects are tiny, and persistent. Doing your best to prevent them doesn’t always mean you won’t get them, but it sure helps your chances.”
Home pest inspections should be part of your strategy to battle bugs. Put it on your calendar and grab your flashlight. And your good glasses.
Life gets busy and it’s easy to ignore all the little spots where pesky bugs can sneak into your house.
Consider caulk your new best friend. This pliable material seals up the cracks, gaps and holes that are common pest entry points.
Where to look? Here’s a handy checklist:
Are there any gaps around your window frames? Fill them in with caulk to keep bugs out.
Inspect your screens, too. Tiny tears or holes are easy to miss if you don’t look closely. They’re pretty easy to patch.
Your crawl space should have a cover. Is it in good shape? Does it fit tightly in its opening?
Tend to any repairs if needed.
Screens should cover your exhaust fans and dryer vents. Make sure they’re still there, and in good shape.
This includes your roof vent, too.
How secure is your chimney? The bricks can settle or weaken over the years, exposing gaps where bugs can enter.
Do you have a chimney cap? If not, put that at the top of your to-do list. An open chimney is an open invitation to pests.
If you have a chimney cap but haven’t checked it in a while, ensure it’s securely attached.
Inspect all the places where those electric, gas and cable lines enter your house.
Are there any gaps around the wires? Seal up these common pest entry points with caulk.
Your doors appear secure, but there are several gaps where pests can enter.
Check your door frame and make sure the door fits snugly.
Is your door sweep still in good shape, hitting the floor with no gaps?
Or is it time for a new one?
Make sure your covers are tight on these common pest entry points, to help keep heat-seeking pests out of your house.
OK, now you’re exhausted from your thorough home pest inspection, and you also realize you should dust more often.
The good news? There’s one major tool in the battle to keep pests out of your house that you don’t need to do. You can leave it to the pros.
Keep pests out of the house with perimeter pest control.
This outdoor barrier protection helps prevent pesky bugs from entering your home in the first place. It’s a great tool to use in conjunction with monitoring common pest entry points around your house.
Just like your up-close home pest inspections, perimeter pest control focuses on prevention – applying insect control before bugs make it into your home and begin to cause problems.
Lawn Buddies technicians typically treat about three feet up on the house and six feet out, creating a wide protective barrier around the house that includes the landscaping and lawn directly around your home.
That includes a common pest entry point — your foundation.
The spray leaves a residue on surfaces that kills pests and continues to work for up to three months.
The treatment is performed outside, so no chemicals are applied inside your home.
In fact, your Idaho Falls and Boise perimeter pest control treatments don’t even require anyone to be home at the time they’re applied.
Bonus: we’ll deliver your insect control while we’re already on your property for lawn care treatments.
How do you inspect a house for pest problems? Check everywhere.
Then add perimeter pest control to help stop bugs outside before they even make it to your chimney, windows or vents.
When you call Lawn Buddies for perimeter pest control in Idaho Falls and Boise, you can relax, knowing creepy invasive pests aren’t on their way inside your safe and cozy home.
The first step to taking advantage of Lawn Buddies perimeter pest control is to sign up for our 6-step complete lawn care program. Then, add on pest control as an additional service.
You’ll be glad you did.
Choose an Idaho Falls or Boise professional lawn care service that makes it easy, bundling your yard’s most-needed treatments into one convenient, no-fuss plan.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. You can simply fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then, you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard and pest-free home.