Family having lunch in kitchen in Howard County home

In the spring, summer, and fall, pests can be a problem. You definitely need pest control when mosquitoes are biting, ants are infesting the kitchen, and termites are swarming. But in winter, you can take a break, right? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is a resounding no. Pest control is a year-round necessity because pests are a year-round problem.

But wait! Don’t pests hibernate in the winter. In some cases, yes, they do. However, there are far more pests, including spiders, roaches, rodents, termites, and bed bugs, which are active all year, and in the winter, they may be looking for a cozy spot to hide out, away from the cold and harsh weather. Your home may seem like the perfect place, with a climate-controlled environment, ready water sources, and plenty of food. That’s why it’s important to stay vigilant all year, with the help of commercial pest control experts.

If you’re a compassionate soul and an animal lover, you might wonder whether it’s important to keep some of these little creatures out of your house when it’s cold and bleak outside. After all, you have resources to spare, and they won’t survive the winter’s harsh conditions. It’s important to note, though, that even if you never see a roach, rodent, or termite, and they’re simply living their lives in the walls of your home, you can be sure that they’re causing problems. Termites are extremely destructive, all year long. Roaches spread many diseases and trigger asthma symptoms. And rodents can chew through your wood and wiring, contaminate your food, and spread disease, even if you never see them in the house. Add to this the fact that you typically only see ten percent of the pests that live in your home, and you can easily understand why year-round pest control is a necessity.

The first step in year-round pest control is to create an effective strategy to keep these little homewreckers at bay. Here are some basic guidelines to help you formulate a plan.

Understand your adversary. Educating yourself on pests can help you better strategize against them. Research the common pests in your area, where they’re likely to hang out, what they eat, and what happens if they get unto your house. If you already have a pest problem, research the best ways to get rid of whatever is bugging you.
Develop good habits. When you use best practices to keep an infestation from occurring in the first place, you’re employing preventative pest control. It could be that you need to be more stringent in your cleaning practices, especially if there are ants and roaches in your neighborhood. Keep things in sealed plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes and paper bags, clean up spills quickly, sweep regularly, and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. If the problem is mosquitoes, make sure your window screens are in good repair, clean your gutters, get rid of any standing water, and consider planting mosquito repelling plants. For termites, your focus may need to be on things like trimming trees away from your house, keeping mulch off of the foundation, and stacking firewood away from the house. No matter what kind of pest you’re likely to encounter, keeping your house clean and in good repair can help prevent them from making your home their home.
Partner with a professional. A pest control company will perform regular inspections and create a comprehensive plan designed specifically for your home. Your pest control expert will perform early season treatments that disrupt breeding cycles and reduce the populations of pests, and will utilize exclusion tactics to keep pests from gaining entry to the house. When you have regular pest control appointments, you’ll spend less money in the long run, because your home will be protected from pests, and you won’t have to be reactive in your pest control. Pest control companies will also offer preventative treatments, creating a protective barrier around your home that keeps pests at bay. Professional pest control experts have products and techniques that aren’t available to the general public, and they understand pests. They’ll be able to create a plan that deals with pests all year long, no matter what the season.

One of the best ways to be proactive about pest control is to call the professionals at All Star Pest Management. The exterminator Baltimore area residents have trusted for more than a decade, we’re a family-owned and operated business providing customized solutions to deal with any pest problem you’re facing. The team at All Star Pest Management respects the home of every client, and they’ll treat your infestation conveniently and effectively while treating your home or business as if it were their own. To make an appointment, call 410-772-0204 in Catonsville or 410-772-0204 in Columbia or request a free estimate through our website.