Pest Proofing Your Home For Winter

Lock down your home from pests this winter.

As the weather gets colder pests begin to make their way indoors in search of food, warmth, and shelter. It’s no surprise that in the winter months, you might encounter a critter or two.

Since we’ve already identified the top 5 household winter pests, in this post we take that one step further and talk about the strategies for tackling pests like rats, mice, insects, and birds.

So here we go. Our top tips for pest-proofing your home this winter. Enjoy. 

Pest Proofing against Rats

Rats do not normally co-habitat with people, keeping their distance in attics, wall voids, and unfrequented crawlspaces. Rats normally use the home as a place of harbourage only where for mice your lovely home is a 5-Star all inclusive resort!

Even in the winter, rats are still venturing out in the cold and rain to find sustenance, to get water, and then scoot back in again and sleep during the day. You also want to make sure you know the difference between rats and mice, as they require different treatment approaches.

Don’t worry, rats and mice are both very common in Metro Vancouver. Most homes will experience a rodent issue at some point. So you’re not alone. 

Best course of action against rats?

Look for signs of entry

Once you’ve checked your attic, garage and crawl space for rodent traces, then we want to investigate the rest of your property for signs of entry.

Check up high, if you have a ladder. Rats are expert climbers and typically enter up high on a building’s structure. Tile roofs are also notorious for providing easy access into homes for rats and squirrels.

Rodent entry way under roof tile

Next, do a full perimeter check. When checking the exterior, there are a number of areas where we can look for signs of pest ingress. Some areas of note include gutter lines, door frames, soffits, window frames, roof vent, garage doors, & more. 

Seal Up Entryways

Rats have an extremely strong bite, sharp teeth and can virtually chew through anything.

Any material that is weaker than a rat’s teeth is what we want to use to keep them out. Rats will find it difficult to chew through concrete and hard metals. 

Once you find a hole, block it off using wire mesh, steel wool or aluminium flashing. You can purchase these from your local hardware store.

More ways to keep rats away

• Cut back tree branches, bushes or any foliage in contact with the structure
• Don’t let garbage or compost overflow and make sure lids are secure
• Always use high quality rodent proof bird feeders (if you must use them at all!)

 

Gaps in around plumbing lines are easy access points for rodents

Pest Proofing against Mice

Mice have been cohabiting with humans for thousands of years and like to keep their quarters as close as possible to food sources. They usually nest in the floors, walls or crawlspace directly adjacent to the kitchen. 

When it comes to mice, they don’t usually climb that much. So when scanning the exterior for entry points, focusing around the foundation is always the best place to start. Be thorough, because mice can sneak through a hole smaller than your baby finger.

Look between the siding and the foundation, look around doorways, anywhere where there’s ingress into the house. So often if there’s a gas line, plumbing or electrical ingress, there can be adjacent holes providing access for rodents.

Rodent entry way around piping

Anytime the siding on a structure makes a directional change it increases the chances of place of ingress for mice. Those are places to check, and some holes might not look like much, but you’re better off sealing it up if you think there might be a way mice could get in.

Best course of action against mice?

If you have mice already, home remedies like ultrasonic devices and peppermint oil won’t cut it unfortunately. 

Sensory tools like ultrasonic devices, essential oils, and cayenne pepper are best used as preventative solutions. Once mice have established themselves however, you establish a more aggressive pest control plan and close up access points to keep them out.

How to get rid of mice humanely? 

There are a number of ways to get rid of mice in a humane way

1. Cleaning – cleanliness will be your best friend. Don’t give them an excuse to come into the kitchen. Sweep up your crumbs. 
2. Live traps – place these catch and release traps along your baseboards, or anywhere you have seen the mouse. You can buy these live traps at your local hardware store.
3. Essential oils – Mice don’t like the smell of peppermint oil, cayenne, and cloves.
4. Ultrasonic devices are a good deterrent to keep them out, but are only helpful if there are NOT mice already present. Rodents are very habitual creatures. If the problem has already been established, don’t waste your money on an ultrasonic devices or essential oils, the mice or rats will ignore it.
5. If all else fails, get a cat!

Pest Proofing against Squirrels

Without a doubt, the best way to deal with squirrels in your home is to make sure they don’t get in in the first place. If you live in an area with lots of trees, you can guarantee there’s a high squirrel population in the area.

Luckily, there are many squirrel control tactics to employ to decrease the risk of the squirrels making your home into theirs.

1. Remove food sources – Squirrels will go where there’s food. Bird Feeders are a very common source of food for squirrels.
2. Keep Garbage areas clean and lids secure – Household garbage can also be a good source of food for squirrels, as well as other rodents such as rats and mice.
3. Cut tree branches – If tree branches touch the roof of your home, you’re asking for squirrels to investigate the building. Take some time to cut back  branches touching your house.
4. Block access – Inspect your roof and look for any holes that squirrels could use to get inside. All they need a space of approx 1 inch in diameter to get in. Also, both rats and squirrels are capable of gnawing through material such as wood, so you’ll need to use something stronger. Metal flashing or quarter-inch galvanized steel mesh can be a good solution to block up holes.

Also read: How to keep squirrels out of your home

The One Way Door. Squirrels can get out, but can’t get back in.

Pest Proofing against Birds

‘Pest bird’ is a term we use to describe any bird that makes itself a nuisance by perching on condo balconies, swooping in public places, or roosting inside warehouse environments.

One of the most prolific pests in BC, the Feral pigeon will make themselves a nuisance and perch almost anywhere; ledges, gutters, awnings, railings, fences, structural beams, and utility & electrical lines.

Luckily there are a number of bird control solutions for each scenario.

Bird Spike is great for rooftop ledges. Here’s one we installed in downtown Vancouver

How to keep birds away?

Here are some methods you can try to keep them away; 

1. Keep areas clean and dispose of leftovers where pigeons cannot access. Over time, you will notice these birds will move on to other areas and settle elsewhere.
2. Sound or reflected light – You can achieve this with a wind chime, aluminum foil pans or even hanging CD’s. The reflected light disorients the birds. 
3. Fake decoy birds – try a plastic Owl, or Hawk. Unfortunately it’s not often successful or a permanent solution, birds will become wise to it. Move the decoy frequently for better results.
4. Bird spike – Can be applied to almost any surface in almost any location of a structure including ledges, signage and rooftops.

You can purchase professional grade, full stainless steel bird spike from Westside Pest Control sister company Rufus Industries. 

Looking for more ideas to help manage your bird problems? We have a great resource for keeping pest birds off your property  

Pest Proofing against Spiders

Everyone’s favourite creepy crawly, the spider has been round way longer than humans. 30 million years to be exact. 

Of all the pests to make you jump, seeing a spider in your bedroom is sure to make you jump pretty high. 

What can you do to combat spiders?

1. Knock those webs down 
2. Glue boards 
3. Essential oils 

One of the first things we say to do (and it might seem super obvious, but is often forgotten), is sweep the spider webs. Get everything out of there because those spiders are going to lay eggs (or may have already), so just sweep them out of the way.

Next thing to do is to install some glue boards. A great way to catch all kinds of insects are glue boards. They don’t cost more than a few bucks. And just place them along the baseboards underneath furniture. Definitely focus on areas where you’re seeing lots of the spiders. You can purchase a Spider & Insect Glue Trap at your local hardware store.

Lastly, try essential oils. Spiders are repelled by strong scents like peppermint oil as well as many other common fragrances. A great remedy is to add 15 to 20 drops of the essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spray around the house. You can also try lavender, cinnamon, rose, and tea-tree oils as a way to keep the creepy crawlies away.

Short of those home remedies, we recommend you could look at using insecticides.

If there’s still an infestation, then any over-the-counter insecticide in a can will help, but try those chemical free options first and see how your results are.

Looking for more tips on how to prevent spiders? Navigate over to our spider control page  

Pest Proofing against Silverfish 

These creepy, slimy insects are a nuisance all year round. Any middle aged home in Vancouver for sure has some silverfish living in it. They live in the baseboards usually coming out at night and are typically found in the more humid places around your home; bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens  – and anywhere that contains moisture. 

Technician in action. We use a special spray to treatment your home for silverfish.

How do we get rid of Silverfish?

• Place a dehumidifier in problem areas – this will limit their ability to reproduce
• Leave kitchen and bathroom fans on whenever you cook, shower or bathe, limiting humidity
• Use Silica gel packs to absorb moisture in areas not accessible to children or pets
• Place glue boards under kitchen and bathroom sinks & behind washer/dryers – Silverfish are attracted to adhesives and paper and catching them can be very satisfying! (Ensure glue boards are not accessible by kids or pets)
• Clean your place on a regular basis (even behind the appliances etc.)
• Use Oil Spray – Silverfish are not fond of cedar. Spray crevices with cedar oil to deter them. Some also believe that dried bay leaves are an effective insect repellant.

Learn more about silverfish control and how to best get rid of them.

FAQs

Need some help?

Pests can be a nightmare if left uncontrolled. They are resilient and often hard to tackle without proper experience and know-how. 

If your property is in need of protection from pests this winter, please reach out to exterminators at Westside Pest Control to learn about the various treatment options. 

Service options include both once-off treatment and preventive services and free quotes can be given over the phone.

Call 604-559-9060, submit our web form, or use our web-chat to speak with a pest expert.

Liked this blog?

Check out some of our other guides with tips for homeowners.

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A guide to mice removal