Part 3 of a series on what you can do to keep spiders, insects, and rodents out of your home.
Tip #3: Carefully sealing exterior protrusions and openings around your house make it harder for spiders, insects, and rodents to enter your home.
First things first….what does protrusion mean? I wrote this blog and I had to look it up. Westers Online fake dictionary says it means “something that sticks out.” Whew, now that that’s over with, lets get down to brass tacks: What things stick out from your home that we need to seal?
There are a few. Natural gas lines, plumbing fixtures, cable or phone company lines, & HVAC and crawl space vents are the most common. Take a walk around your house while simultaneously thinking like a bug or spider….how would you get in? Pay special attention to those areas I’ve mentioned. Do you see any cracks? Remember, bugs and spiders can get inside through even the tiniest of places. Make a note of those areas and get to work!
Calking is often the easiest and least expensive way to get the job done. For larger holes or cracks, consider using some expanding foam to fill the bigger areas, and then calk afterwards to clean it up or make it look more presentable. Installing new crawl space vents and/or fan vents or repairing the screening on them are also reasonably inexpensive and relatively easy to do. Your local hardware store can provide the materials and the know-how.
Making these repairs is good for pest control, but also great for a more efficient home. The Boise area has cold winters and hot summers, and doing everything you can to reduce the amount of air transfer is a bonus.
