How to Prepare Your Home for Pest Animal Season in New York
In New York, you’ll hear locals talk about pest season, and wonder what they mean.
Typically, pest season is taken to mean the fall months, from September to November, when pests may become more active, and cause trouble for homeowners. Of course, this doesn’t mean other seasons are pest-free in the Big Apple - on the contrary, there’s a pest here for every season, which is why you’ll want to keep your home protected against potential furry intruders year-round, rather than focus on a single season.
Still, in this article, we’ll talk about some of the best wildlife prevention and protection practices to implement in your NY home just in time for the traditional pest season.
Inspect your home for entry points.
You might do this yourself, or have a professional inspect it, that’s up to you. Basically, what you’re doing here is checking your property for potential entry points. Unfortunately, as the seasons change, your home is exposed to natural wear and tear, which might cause gaps, cracks, and other easy access points for wild animals.
Make sure you check the wall perimeter, the roof, if you live in a house (as opposed to an apartment), and also the pipe and vent systems. These may have become damaged over time and may present holes that give critters access straight to your home.
If you find a potential access point, waste no time sealing it. Ideally, use a material that is difficult to chew or claw through, like chicken wire, or expandable foam. If you do discover an access point, also have your home inspected for wildlife, as some critters might’ve been quicker, and already entered your home through this hole.
Hire a professional wildlife removal company.
It never hurts to have your home professional assessed by a company like C&C Wildlife Control.Even if you’re lucky, and your home hasn’t yet been contaminated by unwanted wildlife, a wildlife removal company will be able to identify common attraction points that might cause you problems in the future. They will advise you on how to prevent an infestation by bringing some additions or modifications to your New York home.
Fit a chimney cap on your chimney.
Consider your chimney a potential entry point, and seal it with a chimney cap. Not only will a chimney cap stop wildlife from getting into the home (and creating a fire hazard), but it will also work to preserve the interior of your chimney.
Without a chimney cap, your chimney lining will get damaged by water, and other elemental wear and tear. This can reduce the lifespan of your chimney, as well as create potential problems for the safety of your home.
Clean up regularly.
In preparing your home for pest season in New York, you may want to step up your cleaning game. Think about it. What’s the number one reason wild animals get into human homes?
They’re looking for food. And what signals to them that your home is a delicious hotspot? Crumbs, leftovers, improperly stored food, and spills. And while you may think your home is clean enough, you’ll be surprised to learn how many homes could do with an improvement in that area.
So as you prepare for pest season in New York City, make sure you introduce more rigorous cleaning regimens in your home. Sweep and wash the floors regularly. Limit the areas of the home in which you eat (because it will make the difference between having to clean the entire home or solely the kitchen laboriously). Change up your food storing techniques, and clean up pet food from the floor.
Last but not least, take the time to trim the trees lining your house, as well as the bushes, as these can provide cover for unwanted critters, and even give them an easy access ramp into the home. So you want tree branches to be spaced at a safe distance from your roof and windows, otherwise, you may get wild animals jumping into your home, to look for delicious edibles.
While it may seem like a lot, protecting your NYC home from critters is an ongoing process, rather than all in one go.
