There is an ecosystem around your home. The more you understand about this ecosystem, the more resistant your home will be to pests. Let's take a look at what types of pests invade Sacramento homes, why it is essential to properly address them, and discuss tips for natural prevention and effective control.

The Types Of Pests That Invade Sacramento Region Homes

This group may be broken down into three categories: Pests that accidentally come in through entry points, pests that make their own entry points, and pests that hitchhike into your home.

  • We have a ton of pests that accidentally enter our homes. When these insects and invertebrates crawl around near foundations or scale exterior walls, they slip inside. Ants, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, silverfish, earwigs, and cockroaches are examples of pests that do this.

  • We have a small group of pests that make their own entry points. Termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, mice, and rats are examples of pests that do this. Of course, all of these pests may also use available entry points.

  • We have some pests that are carried into homes. Bed bugs, stored products pests, fruit flies, and brown recluse spiders are examples of pests that do this.

three bed bugs on a white blanket

The Problems Pests Can Cause In Sacramento Region Homes

When considering whether or not you should roll your sleeves up and do the hard work of pest maintenances, or you're deciding whether you should invest in year-round pest control service, it is important to consider how pests can impact your health and finances.

  • Over time, termites and other wood damaging pests can eat away at your equity and take a bite out of your retirement savings.
  • When mice or rats get into your home, they can chew on wiring. If a fire breaks out, it can lead to a complete loss of property.
  • Certain bugs, like ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas, can make you very sick with just one bite.
  • Some pests are dirty. When cockroaches, mice, or rats find their way into your home, they can contaminate food, surfaces, dishes, and more. They can also put allergens in the air, which are particularly harmful to those who suffer from asthma.
  • Stinging insects can inject venom. In most cases, this will only result in localized pain, but there is always the risk of more severe symptoms.

Easy & Effective Pest Prevention Tips For Sacramento Region Homes

There are many ways to manage pests around your home. This is far from a comprehensive list but it should give you some good ideas.

  • Remember that ecosystem we mentioned? There are a few conditions that pests want to find near your home. If you remove these conditions, you can deter them. Pests like clutter to hide under or inside, particularly organic clutter such as leaves, dead branches, and scrap wood. Pests are drawn to damp habitats. Keep your gutters clean to reduce moisture. Pests are drawn to dense vegetation. Remove unnecessary plants and grass from your landscaping. Pests will come into your yard to feed on other pests. General pest maintenance helps to get control of all the pests in your yard.
  • Insects are attracted to light. If insects buzz around the lights in an entryway, they can come right inside when you open the door. Consider replacing white lights with yellow lights to reduce insect activity. Insects aren't able to see light in the yellow spectrum.
  • Many pests are attracted to the scent of rotting organic matter. It is essential to keep your home and your yard as clean as possible, and to make sure you properly manage your trash. Store trash in covered containers and deodorize your containers if they develop a smell. 
  • Any pest that comes into your home from the outside can be deterred by sealing gaps, cracks, and holes. Pay close attention when you examine exterior doors and utilities. These are common entry points. The tool for this job is a caulking gun.
  • Rodents can make their own holes. When excluding mice or rats, you may need to use metal flashing or hardware cloth.
  • Pests that hitchhike into your home require a different kind of pest maintenance. Bed bugs can be deterred by being alert to their presence when you go to public places or stay the night somewhere. Stored product pests can be deterred if you store your pantry items in sealed containers. Fruit flies can be deterred if you store your fruit in your fridge. You can deter brown recluse spiders by checking items, such as upholstered furniture, before you bring them into your home. 

The Best Way To Keep Pests Away From Your Sacramento Region Home

Most of the pests that get inside are pests that come into your yard and explore your exterior. There is no better way to keep these pests out and to reduce their populations in your yard than to invest in a residential pest control program. Reach out to HomeShield Pest Control for assistance with setting up the right plan for your Sacramento home.