Spring is almost in full bloom, and we can finally enjoy the (occasional) warm weather that Winnipeg has to offer. It’s the welcome sort of weather where you can finally open your windows and let cool breeze circulate through your home.
Unfortunately, warmer weather also means the waking of the pesky creepy crawlies that always seem to find their way inside our homes. If you’re looking for ways to avoid little critters and rodents, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective ways to prevent unwanted guests from coming inside.
Bugs Inside the Drains
Bugs coming out of your drains – aka bathtub bugs – is a real issue that sadly isn’t limited to imaginative horror movies. While the state of the inside of your drains may not be appealing to you, they offer perfect homes for bugs and roaches to live in. The three main things these insects look for are shelter, food (which is provided by the gunk inside your pipes that is essentially an all-you-can-eat buffet), and water.
The best way to prevent these unexpected guests from crawling up your tub is by treating your drains monthly with a drain cleaner. We have a few Do-It-Yourself recipes on how to keep your drains clean and clog-free. We suggest doing this at night as these critters are most active at night. Pour the cleaner and place a rag over your drain to prevent bugs from escaping and entering your home.
Seal Cracks and Opening
Bugs and mice don’t need much space to squeeze into your home. An opening as small as a nickel is more than enough space for a mouse to wriggle through. It’s important to check all your plumbing for cracks or openings where the piping runs through the outside of your home, walls, or floors. Seal the cracks with caulk to keep the bugs and mice out. If you notice sweating pipes, wrap them with insulation as moisture attracts critters.
Keep Your House Clean and Discard Food
It’s really important to keep your house clean and keep any food out of reach from critters. With summer coming around and most of us keeping our patio or balcony doors open, we need to be mindful of what crumbs we are leaving behind on our kitchen floors. Make sure all pantry food is well sealed and in proper containers so that mice or critters can’t make their way inside your food. Lastly, when bug-proofing your home, ensure you are getting rid of spoiled and rotting food, as they welcome fruit flies. Composting is a great solution to not feel guilty about throwing away food, and if you’ve got a green thumb, you can reuse the waste to grow fresh produce.
Trim your Shrubs and Clear Out Weeds
Trimming the shrubs around your house and clearing out any weeds will protect your house from rodents and creepy crawlies. All this extra debris provides them with a perfect spot to hide and shelter themselves. If you trim overgrown shrubs and clear out those pesky wild plants, pests won’t have a place to hide.
This list may seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. We Love Plumbing can help you with some of these tasks so that you can enjoy the warm weather that you deserve after the brutal winter we Winnipeggers endured. We are here 24/7 to help you with any plumbing-related needs, so give us a call at 204-654-6106 and we’ll send a local plumber knocking at your door right away.