A Positively Moving Experience
New Home Critter Proofing
Another commonly overlooked aspect of new home ownership is critter and pest proofing. There’s a wide variety of all sort of unsavory animals that can plague new homes, from insects like termites and bedbugs, to mice and even squirrels! Here’s a guide from the residential moving experts here at Noah’s Ark Moving and Storage on how to make sure that your new home is pest-proofed before you move in.
Get rid of cardboard
If you just moved in, you probably have cardboard boxes everywhere. This storage has a habit of sitting around way longer than it needs to, especially in areas like garages, basements, attics, and closets. Insects and rodents LOVE eating cardboard, and cardboard boxes can provide full meals for pests for months and months. We recommend quickly replacing all cardboard boxes, shoe boxes, and paper boxes with plastic containers with tight seals.
Air Duct Cleaning
Air duct systems can accumulate bacteria, dead skin, dirt, and dust. This provides a fantastic meal for insects, who end up leaving their own feces and dirt, which will then move through your central heating and air system for years, which poses a health hazard. Clean each vent by unscrewing them, and washing or wiping away all dust and debris. Then, clear all the channels in the interior system – this is best addressed by a professional ductwork cleaner.
Fill in Gaps and Openings
Little cracks, crevices, and openings can quickly appear on the outside of your home, even in doors and windows. Pests, rodents, and bugs can quickly come inside your home through these minuscule openings, and will look for warm areas to nest during the cold months of Winter. Seal all cracks and openings with weather treatments or caulking. Aged weather stripping needs to be replaced, and the same applies to door seals. Look for any outside piping on appliances or driers that need to be sealed or vented.
Pantry Control
It’s likely that eventually old food or dry goods will accumulate in your pantry, and bags with damaged or open containers pose a major risk for pests. Don’t let your pantry become a bistro for pests; throw out old, stale, or open containers, vacuum the entire empty pantry for all crumbs, and buy sealed, airtight plastic containers to hold dry goods.
