Don’t Let Winter Weather Create An Entry For Pests

Winter is one of the best seasons in Alabama. The nights are cold, and the days are brisk and mild. While still humid, the air tends to feel lighter and not as oppressive as the summer heat in Alabama. However, winter can create conditions that make it much easier for pests to find their way into your home. To make sure you don’t accidentally let winter weather create an entry for pests, look at some of the main ways in which pests can get into your home in the winter.

 

Keep An Eye Out For Contraction

In the winter wood tends to contract, or get smaller, which can create small gaps in wood siding, wood window frames, or wooden door frames. This contraction is caused by the fact that the humidity and moisture content during the winter lessens. As the moisture content in the wood decreases, the wood shrinks a very small amount in size. While this shrinking is typically imperceptible, and usually does not cause problems, there are cases in which it can create a small crack that is large enough to allow pests to come into your home. In the winter, pests typically seek warmer environments and are looking for food and water inside your home. These contraction gaps can provide the perfect entrance for them to find these essentials in your home. Some experts recommend putting a small chalk mark around wood that may contract and make a gap. Checking this chalk mark will allow you to see if the wood is contracting enough to allow pests to have a way in.

 

Cracks In The Foundation Might Bring Pests In

Similar to the gaps that can be caused by contracting wood, the water content in concrete can cause cracks to form which may let pests in over time. These cracks are caused by the water in concrete expanding when it freezes. Over time, this repeated process of expanding and contracting can cause hairline cracks to form in the concrete, especially the concrete that forms the foundation of many homes. If these cracks go deep enough, pests, specifically small pests like ants, can use them to enter your home and cause a winter infestation. To prevent this type of winter pest infestation, make sure all cracks in your concrete are filled quickly after forming.

 

Drafty Windows Are A Potential Pest Problem

If your windows are drafty in the winter, it may be a sign that they do not have proper weatherproofing sealant and insulation, or that the weatherproofing and insulation have deteriorated over time. Drafty windows are not as noticeable in the warm months, but in the winter, they stand out, as certain rooms are much colder than others. The gaps in the weatherproofing and insulation can create an entry for pests to get into your home. If you have wood windows, the draftiness may already be a sign that you have a pest problem. Termites often target the wooden aspects of a home, typically eating away at window and door frames. The holes that the termites leave could be a cause of the draftiness that you are experiencing in the winter. To prevent this, contact a window company to make sure your windows are properly weatherproofed, and have them add extra insulation if it is lacking. This way you will keep your home warmer, as well as pest-free this winter.

 

While the winter weather in Alabama doesn’t last for long, it is around long enough to cause an unexpected winter pest infestation. If you want to prevent a winter infestation, you need to contact Advanced Pest Control of Alabama for a seasonal pest control service. With over 25 years of pest control expertise, Advanced Pest Control will keep your home pest-free all year long. Call us today and schedule your appointment with us at 251-981-3000.