How To Prevent Pest Infestations In The Winter

• Why do pests come inside your home in the winter?
• The most common pests inside your home in the winter
• How to prevent household pests entering your home
  • Seal up cracks and holes
  • Avoid storing firewood near living spaces
  • Get rid of damp as soon as possible
  • Trim shrubs and trees
  • Regularly clean and maintain fireplaces
  • Keep interiors clean
  • Cover the bin
• How to get rid of pests
• Contact us today

During the colder months, many pests seek warmth and shelter, and invade commercial and domestic properties. Although for the most part they are out of sight, out of mind, they can put your property and health at risk.  

Here at ICE Cleaning, we provide a wide range of pest control services for rodents, birds, and insects. Our technicians offer thorough and quick elimination of the pests, and are available day and night, 365 days a year.

In this blog, we will explore how to stop pests infesting your home during the winter.

Why do pests come inside your home in the winter?

As well as being a shelter, your property will also contain a food source, whether it’s crumbs on the floor, food in the cupboards, or rubbish in the bin.

Some pests need moisture, too, so any damp or humidity in your home (which is common during the winter) make for ideal conditions. Once insects are near or in your property, they can attract other bugs by releasing pheromones.

The most common pests inside your home in the winter

Rats

Rats are very dangerous rodents and can carry diseases like salmonella, listeria, and hantavirus. They might cause structural damage by chewing through things, including wires and wooden beams.

Signs of a rat infestation include hearing scratching noises, and spotting rat droppings or rat holes around your home.

Mice

While they might not seem as dangerous as rats, mice can still carry diseases like salmonella and will damage your property, too. The signs of an infestation also include mice droppings, chewing marks and holes on food packaging, and a musty odour in the home.

Squirrels

If there are trees near or touching your home, squirrels could find their way onto your roof and into your loft. They can carry a few dangerous diseases for humans, including tularemia, typhus, and ringworm.

Should you hear scratching and rustling from the loft, or there are nests and droppings up there, you probably have a squirrel infestation.

Cockroaches

These insects need water to survive, so during the winter they enter the home looking for moisture and food. Cockroaches are often hidden in difficult to reach places near your appliances, like behind fridges and freezers. They can spread gastroenteritis, salmonella, and typhoid.

Signs of cockroaches in your home include a musty smell, cockroach skins, and brown smear marks on the floor or horizontal surfaces.

How to prevent household pests entering your home

Seal up cracks and holes

Even small gaps can allow in insects and rodents. Regularly inspect your home for potential entryways and make sure they are blocked. Don’t forget to also repair other potential openings, like damaged windows and doors, and broken ventilation covers.

Avoid storing firewood near living spaces

Firewood can often contain insects, like beetles and ants. Try not to keep it inside your home, or in the kitchen and living room. Inspect it before bringing it home for pests, ensure it stays dry, and if possible, store it ten feet away from your property.

Get rid of damp as soon as possible

Fix leaking pipes and clogged drains quickly, and have any damp tackled by professional cleaners. Keep your property well ventilated, too, especially in bathrooms and kitchens. Don’t forget to air out where pests are likely to live, like your basement, attic, and crawl spaces.

Trim shrubs and trees

Pests can enter your home by climbing along the branches of trees and plants that touch or come close to your property. Trim them back so there is a distance of at least four feet between the branches and structure of your home.

Regularly clean and maintain fireplaces

During autumn, have your chimney inspected for bats, birds, and squirrels. They are a common nesting ground, and often serve as an entry point for pests. Cracks in the chimney are also used to come into the home, too, so have them sealed.

Keep interiors clean

When you frequently clean your home, you should spot early signs of infestations, as well as entryways for pests. Make sure you are keeping food secure and where you store it clean. Crumbs and food residue might attract them, and if they rummage through your food, they will contaminate it.

Cover the bin

Rubbish is a great food supply for pests. Just like keeping your food secure, your garbage must have a lid, and should be stored behind a cabinet or door.

How to get rid of pests

Should they enter your home, you must act quickly to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Contact pest control services as soon as possible to have the insects and rodents fully eradicated.

Our technicians have state of the art equipment and non-abrasive, non-toxic products to exterminate any rats, mice, cockroaches, and other pests that enter your home. They can even give your practical advice on how to prevent them entering your property.

Contact us today

Get in touch with our team on 0208 066 0360 or at enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk to find out more about our pest control services, and get a free site survey and no-obligation quote.