(BPT) - Where do bugs enter your home? The short answer: all over. Sometimes they crawl or fly in when windows or doors are open. They also can slip in through cracks in walls or foundations, holes in window screens or crevices in the home that let in cables, wires and pipes. Often, they'll drop right onto your roof and crawl through the tiny openings in your siding and air conditioning vents, right into your attic.
As preventative pest control continues to evolve, homeowners have more progressive choices when it comes to protecting their homes.
Attics are the one area of homes that are often overlooked when pest-proofing, according to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). This can cause big problems.
So, how do you protect your home? The NPMA gives the following tips for preventing pests in attics:
* Attics should be kept well ventilated and dry by using dehumidifiers and ventilators.
* Keep any items stored there off the floor and in sealed plastic containers to prevent nesting.
* Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home.
* Keep tree branches and shrubbery well-trimmed and away from the house.
* Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.
* Replace weather stripping and repair loose mortar around attic windows.
* Keep gutters clear of clogs and debris that can retain moisture and attract insects.
The NPMA also suggest homeowners pay special attention to home insulation which not only keeps your home's heat or cool air from escaping, but also can help keep invasive pests out.
However, what makes pest control in your attic such a challenge is that it's usually a constant process. In fact, the NPMA recommends pest-proofing the forgotten rooms of a house, like attics, on a year-round schedule.
A complementary solution that provides long-lasting protection for homes is now available for the first time at retail stores: pest control insulation. This energy efficient insulation is treated with a pest control formula to provide an additional option for preventative pest control. Theinsulation offers a one-time application solution that can help combat pests year after year and enhance homeowners' current pest control efforts.
'Now homeowners have another tool for their pest control toolbox that gives them a proactive preventative solution,' says Bruce Harned, director of marketing at GreenFiber, manufacturer of OrkinTherm pest control insulation.
This innovative approach is part of a comprehensive pest control program, which can include both professional pest management services as well as do-it-yourself exclusion steps.
Homeowners looking to install this product can visit the insulation aisle at select The Home Depot stores or call their local Orkin pest control operators. Detailed videos and other information, featuring how-to install simulations, local Orkin contact information and store availability for OrkinTherm pest control insulation can be found at www.orkintherm.com.
