What’s Hiding Around Your Home?
7 Fall Pest Hotspots Homeowners Often Overlook
As temperatures begin to drop across North Alabama, we are not the only ones looking for a warm, comfortable place to spend the cooler months. Many pests begin searching for food, water and shelter—and your home may provide exactly what they need.
Homeowners often watch for obvious signs of pests inside the house, but pest problems can begin in places that are easy to overlook. Garages, crawlspaces, firewood piles and even the plumbing beneath your sink can provide ideal conditions for unwanted visitors.
Here are seven areas around your home worth checking this fall.
1. Firewood Piles
A stack of firewood can provide plenty of hiding places for spiders, ants, beetles and other pests. The closer the wood is stored to your house, the easier it can be for pests to move toward your home.
Whenever possible, keep firewood away from the exterior of your house and elevated off the ground. Before bringing logs indoors, give them a quick inspection for insects, webs or other signs of pest activity.
It is also a good idea to bring in only the amount of firewood you plan to use rather than storing a large supply indoors.
2. Fallen Leaves and Yard Debris
Those piles of fall leaves may look harmless, but damp leaves and other organic debris can create sheltered areas around your property.
Regularly remove leaves, sticks and other debris that accumulate near your home's foundation. Pay particular attention to areas around porches, decks, outdoor equipment and landscaping where moisture and debris can collect.
Keeping the area immediately surrounding your home clean also makes it easier to notice signs of pest activity.
3. Garages and Storage Areas
Garages offer pests many of the things they are searching for: shelter, warmth and plenty of places to hide.
Cardboard boxes, clutter, pet food and seldom-used storage areas can all attract unwanted attention. Rodents may also enter through surprisingly small gaps around garage doors and other openings.
Take some time this fall to organize storage areas, inspect the edges of garage doors and move food products—including pet food and birdseed—into tightly sealed containers.
4. Attics
Your attic may not be an area you visit frequently, which is exactly what can make it attractive to pests.
As outdoor temperatures fall, rodents and other pests may look for quiet, protected spaces. Pay attention to unusual scratching or movement overhead, particularly at night. Droppings, damaged stored items, nesting material or signs of chewing can also indicate activity.
Checking the exterior of your home for potential entry points can help reduce opportunities for pests to find their way inside.
5. Under Sinks and Around Plumbing
Pests need water, and even a small amount of moisture can make an area more attractive.
Look beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks for leaks, condensation or damp materials. It is also worth checking the areas where pipes and utility lines enter walls or cabinets.
Keeping these spaces dry and addressing plumbing issues promptly can make them less inviting to pests.
6. Crawlspaces
It is easy to forget about what is happening underneath your home, but your crawlspace can have a significant impact on conditions throughout the property.
Excess moisture can contribute to musty odors, wood deterioration and conditions that are more favorable to pest activity.
Southern Pride Pest Control offers crawlspace moisture-control solutions, including crawlspace enclosures, addressing sources of exterior airflow and crawlspace dehumidifier installation. Managing moisture underneath your home can help create a healthier environment and make the space less attractive to moisture-loving pests.
7. Gaps Around Doors, Windows and Utility Lines
Sometimes pests do not need a large opening to get inside.
As you walk around your home this fall, look for worn weather stripping, damaged screens and gaps around doors, windows, pipes, cables and other utility penetrations. These small openings can provide potential entry points for insects and rodents.
Also check areas where tree limbs, shrubs or other vegetation touch the house. Keeping vegetation trimmed away from the structure can help reduce another pathway pests may use to get closer to your home.
What If You Don’t See Any Pests?
One common pest-control myth is that if you do not see pests, you do not have a pest problem.
Unfortunately, pests are often very good at staying out of sight. They may spend much of their time inside walls, attics, crawlspaces, cabinets and other hidden areas.
That is why it is important to pay attention to more than the pests themselves. Droppings, damaged materials, scratching sounds, webs, unusual odors and other changes around your property can all be worth investigating.
Protect Your North Alabama Home This Fall
Fall is a great time to take a closer look at the areas of your property you may not think about every day. A little prevention now can help reduce the opportunities pests have to find food, water and shelter around your home as cooler weather arrives.
If you are noticing pest activity or would like professional help protecting your property, Southern Pride Pest Control is here to help homeowners throughout North Alabama.
Call (256) 383-1890 to schedule service or learn more about your pest-control options.
Southern Pride Pest Control
Serving North Alabama since 2010.
When you have pests, we have solutions.
