NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION TO BE PEST FREE IN 2017

Don’t just make personal resolutions for yourself — make them for your home and environment. At Black Diamond, we believe everyone should make it their resolution to become pest free. Follow these tricks and tips in 2016 to help prevent unwanted run-ins with pests this year.

Clear the clutter. Clutter, whether it is on your lawn or in your attic or basement, is attractive to many kinds of pests. Not only keeping clutter stowed away, but even getting rid of it completely, is a great resolution and start to minimizing pests.

Keep trash cans covered at all times. Any food or trash, rotting or not, is a food source for bugs as well as a nesting place. Also, the smell of decaying food matter attracts wild animals onto your property. Keep those cans covered!

Keep the lighting limited. Many insects are drawn in by light. If you’re able, keep drapes shut at night. Replace outside white lights with insect-resistant yellow lighting or keep them turned off completely. Remember, the flying insects that gather near these lights will also attract spiders.

Keep the fruit in the fridge. Put fruit in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. When you leave the fruit out, you are providing a place for fruit flies to lay their almost invisible eggs. Also, consider investing in hard plastic containers for pantry items and pet food. The plastic containers will keep the smell from luring in pantry pests. These containers will also keep rodents from chewing their way in.

Clean your rugs and wipe your counters. Crumbs that fall off plates can feed any sort of pest from a mite to a cockroach. All it takes is a small dollop of jelly on the counter to feed any bug. Clean periodically under your fridge and on the sides of your oven. This will keep many bugs away, especially cockroaches.

Inspect all openings and cracks. Whether it be high or low, inspect for unwanted openings and cracks in all screens, weather strips, doors, and windows. Use a caulking gun to seal any gaps, cracks, and rotted holes.

Keep the grass cut. Remember to keep it trimmed down — even in the winter when there is no snow covering it. Also, keep the bushes and branches trimmed away from your home. This will help prevent the temptation for the critters and birds to enter.

Do not collect firewood. Putting a food source for wood-eating bugs next to your house is never a good idea. This draws them in close to your exterior walls. This could ultimately gain them entry to an even larger food source — your home’s foundation.

Use wire mesh. Put wire mesh at the bottom of downspouts. This will prevent rodents from gaining access to your roofline.

Contact the professionals. Professional perimeter treatments will keep termites, ants, and other bugs from getting even close to your home. Learn about our Exterior Service Program that blocks insects before they even enter. Year-round visits from a professional pest company will keep you informed of insects that threaten your home and family’s health.

Call 877-DEAD-BUG or visit our website to learn how Black Diamond can help you keep your resolutions for the year.