Posted by
Standard Bank Namibia
on 05 Nov 18
Categories:
Protect your Home
Criminals are not the only home invaders you need to worry about. Insects and other pests can wreak havoc without you even knowing about it!
Not only that; they can also affect your health and the health of your family. Here are a few tips for protecting all the places where you live, work and play from a pest infestation.
Start on the outside
Look for easy access points, especially where utility pipes enter the building/ Seal any small cracks and crevices with a silicone-based caulk and use steel wool to fill larger gaps and holes. Basically, if you can slide a pencil into a gap, a mouse can get in there too. Not to mention thousands of smaller creatures!
Make sure your grass is cut and your tree branches and shrubbery are well-trimmed and kept away from the house.
Clean out your gutters, Standing water up there is a breeding ground for mozzies and other annoyances.
Moving inside
Creepy crawlies love your garbage, so make sure your bins remain sealed and your garbage is disposed of on a regular basis.
A clean kitchen also works wonders for keeping unwanted guests away. Clean your counter tops and sweep the floors regularly to get rid of crumbs and sticky spills. And if the fruit on your counter top is getting ripe, it's time to move it to the fridge.
While your'e in the cleaning mood, give those carpets a vacuum. And if you have face-brick walls in your house... give those infamous dust-collectors a vacuum too to get rid of spider webs especially.
Other areas of interest should be sinks and pipes - anywhere that has the potential to be moist and leaky. Make necessary repairs and think about using a dehumidifier in damp basements or attics.
A pest's best friend
Having a cat or dog is great, but they do attract interesting hangers-on, such as fleas, ticks and assorted other unwelcome parasites. To ward the critters off, consult your vet about preventative treatment and deworming options.
Also, keep the pet bowls clean and wipe up spilled food, water and slobber post-haste. Store pet food in tightly-sealed containers.
Bring in the pest pros
If you're embarking on all these measures, but your home is already infested, fear not. There are loads of professionals around to take care of the problem for you. Of course, they cost money. So start taking preventative action bow rather than later, especially as the heat starts to rise and the rain starts to fall.