The seasons are changing, and that means that it is finally Spring. While it has been warm in Florida for a while now, Spring is the time when most people focus on getting the house and yard in tip top shape. Many neighborhoods even plan their community garage sales around this turning of the seasons. But while you are focusing on spring cleaning, we suggest you also take some time to inspect your home for any damage from the last year that could give pests a way into your home. This is the time that many insect eggs begin to hatch, so it is the perfect opportunity to prevent them from getting into your home and becoming a problem. This week, join us as we go over what spring cleaning your outdoor space needs to keep out pests.

Firewood

If you have a fireplace and used firewood over the cooler winter months, now is the time to deal with any leftover stores of firewood. If you plan to keep it for later usage, our recommendation is to store it someplace dry and away from the side of your home. You also want to keep it up off the ground at least 6 inches. This keeps it out of any standing water and makes it harder for most pests to reach to make a home or meal out of it. The farther away from the side of your house the better, as this will keep any pests who do reach it from getting easy access to your home.

Water

While we are talking about standing water, you should look around your property for any places where water may collect. If it has been a while since you cleaned your gutters, there is no time like the present. If you have drainage issues around your home that causes water to pool in certain areas, you should look into have the grading of your yard corrected so the water can freely flow out of your yard. Bugs like mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, and they only need about a quarter of an inch of standing water to do this. If you want to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, we suggest making sure that they do not have anywhere to lay their eggs in the first place.

 Cracks and Tears

While you are out refreshing your lawn, take a few minutes to walk around the perimeter of your home and inspect for any cracks in the walls or windowsills. You should also check for tears in the window screens or weather stripping. These are the places that little critters like termites or house flies use to get into your home. Any cracks or tears you notice should be repaired as soon as possible to seal up any possible insect entry point.

Plants

One last thing to examine are your outdoor plants. As you refresh your garden area and entryway, take some time to trim up your plants. This not only makes them look fresher and grow better, keeping them trimmed about 6 inches away from the side of the house also makes it more difficult for insects and other critters to use them as a springboard to get into your home.

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