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So you’ve bought the house and are getting ready to move in. Congrats! You’ve probably done a walk-through of the new property, considering the layout and where you will put all your furniture. But have you considered any pests that may be hiding on the premises? Mice, termites, and other critters don’t have a place in your new home, so take these steps to pest-proof your house prior to moving in.
From sealing off entry points to doing a thorough cleaning of the kitchen, there are many things you can do to ensure your family and pets will be the only living things moving into your new house!
Mice, ants and spiders crave damp, moist, dark places. To them, the basement is paradise! They also love to hide out in attics, little-used closets and any other out-of-the-way corner that doesn’t get a lot of action from humans. Before you move everyone in, do a deep clean of the entire house, top to bottom. Clean, scrub, wash and sanitize every area before you start piling boxes and furniture in the house.
You may want to hire a professional cleaning company to come in and perform the deep clean, especially if you have recently done some renovations or remodeling projects, or if the house was vacant for quite a while before you moved in.
Mice, voles, spiders and termites gravitate toward wood piles, overgrown gardens, mulch areas and yard debris. Clear the ground near the foundation, transfer wood piles as far away as possible, and clear the area under your deck to remove possible hiding spaces for pests.
Discourage pests from getting in at all by sealing possible entry points. Do this by locating, sealing, and caulking holes, crevices and cracks. Gaps around windows and doors are common culprits, as are spaces around pipes or at the joints between doors and walls. Consider using wire mesh or metal sheets to place over holes so mice can’t chew through, and use caulking for small cracks or crevices.
Squirrels can get in your house through vents and gaps along your roof’s eaves. Inspect your shingles to make sure they are intact and that all vents are covered with wire mesh. It’s also a good idea to cap your chimney.
Trim branches that are close to your home or hire a professional who can. Limbs that overhang your home give squirrels a gateway to get on your roof and into your attic.
Place door sweeps or thresholds at the bottom of all exterior entry doors. You can also fit the bottom of your garage door with a rubber seal, and you can also line the bottom track of your sliding glass doors with some foam weather stripping.
Inspect your pipes for leaks and repair them if you see any. This will cut down on the amount of pests that are drawn to water. Water damage can weaken walls and create additional entryways for pests of all kinds.
While packing at the old house, be extra diligent that you’re not boxing up little critter hitch hikers at the same time. Check your wooden furniture for roaches or termites and your bedding for bedbugs or nests. This is especially true of second-hand items. If you have boxes that have been stored in the attic for a long time, don’t just throw them on the moving truck. Clean them out and check for signs of pests. If you store luggage in your attic or basement, check for spider activity before packing them with soft items.
If you have suspicions that the new house is infested with fleas, ants or other pests, have a pest control company come in and inspect the area. You may have to have the house fumigated. Of course, ideally you would have to hire a pest control inspection prior to closing on the house, but if you didn’t, don’t just neglect this important aspect.
Get a free quote on your next move when you contact us at 214-433-6764. We can also help with storage or packing no matter where you’re moving in the Dallas area.