Winter in Vancouver means that creepy critters move inside quickly. The cold, moist climate means that wild animals, insects, and rodents move searching for a place to escape the bad weather. They have infested homes and buildings around Vancouver, causing destruction, stress, and the transmission of disease that proliferates throughout the winter months.
In this blog post, you’ll get practical tips for winter pest control in Vancouver. You will learn how and why pests are a problem in the winter, how they enter homes, and how to keep unwanted critters away before costly infestations happen.
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Why Winter Means More Pests Indoors
The winters in Vancouver can be quite chilly and soggy. This proves to be an excellent motivator for pests to seek refuge in houses. It starts with rain soaking the soil in the region, and as a result, the weather turns quite chilly and it becomes more difficult for pests to find food outside. This brings them back to their basic nature. They seek refuge inside, where it is warm, dry, easily accessible, and close to their food source.
Your home or building has got it all. Heated spaces remain dry. Walls and attics provide nesting areas. Kitchens, storage, and garbage provide constant sources of food. Rodents, ants, spiders, and even wildlife can find ways to invade your space using tiny openings, vents, and cracks in your walls. Even after they move in, winter allows time to quietly spread.
Common Winter Pests in Vancouver
Rodents (Mice & Rats)
The most common type of rodents that invade Vancouver homes during the winter season are mice and rats. These rodents can enter homes through openings that are no larger than the size of a coin. After invading homes, one of the signs that can be noticed is the sounds of scurrying at night. Another is the presence of their droppings, gnawing of wires, and damaged insulation. These rodents are known to cause extensive structural damage and bacterial dissemination, making a rodent control solution necessary as soon as possible.
Ants, Spiders & Insects
Not all insects remain inactive during cold weather. Carpenter ants, spiders, and other insects are found to remain active inside warmed-up homes. Carpenter ants chew on moist wood, which can lead to the deterioration of the attacked structure. Spiders enter homes in search of warmth and food. Also look for ant trails along the sides or sawdust inside homes, which can appear along the walls or come from behind electrical outlets.
Wildlife (Raccoons, Squirrels, Bats)
Wildlife pests seek out high and quiet places to take refuge during the winter months. These areas often include attic spaces, chimneys, and wall voids. Other areas sought by raccoons and squirrels involve roof and vent areas, which provide ample opportunities for damaging insulation and wood by their tearing and gnawing activities. The presence of bats is characterized by their roosting areas and high levels of waste production, which creates foul odours and potential sanitation hazards.
Vancouver Winter Pest Control Tips
Seal Entry Points
Winter pests require tiny openings to enter the structure. It is essential to check the foundation, vents, door frames, and edges of the roofs for cracks and gaps. Don’t forget to examine the attics and crawlspaces. Steel wool can be used to exclude entry points, followed by the use of silicone caulk for sealing it.
Manage Food, Water & Clutter
Pests tend to stay in an area if food and water sources are easily accessible. Store your food in tightly sealed containers and keep your pet food indoors. Fix dripping pipes to remove standing water, if that’s the case. Keep your basement, garages, and storage areas clutter-free to eliminate hiding and nesting sites.
Outdoor Property Maintenance
Your backyard has a substantial role to play in effective pest control during winter. Cut your bushes and tree branches to ensure none are touching your structure. Store your firewood in a way that it’s not close to walls and not on the ground. Ensure that your bins for trash and compost are tightly closed to avoid attracting rodents and wildlife.
Ventilation & Screens
Vents can be entry points during the winter months. Ensure that screens are in place on attic vents, chimneys, and dryer vents. Install outside screening if necessary. The goal is to allow proper ventilation while preventing rodents, birds, or insects from entering your home.
Winter Inspection
There are some pest-related issues that remain unseen until the damage is done and you need costly repairs. A winter inspection performed by a pest control professional identifies entry points, damp areas, and initial issues signs to help you avoid unseen problems caused due to winter pest infestation.
How Professional Pest Control in Vancouver Can Help
DIY procedures can be helpful in preventing risks, but they are limited. Commercial traps and pesticides often target areas in which you can see the pests, rather than in which they breed. This explains why pest infections continue to recur every winter. Professional pest control in Vancouver targets more than just symptoms.
A local expert, like our Atlas pest and wildlife specialist, is aware of where pests can be hiding in the winter months and migrating routes. Also, close examinations will reveal entry points behind walls, roofs, and foundations in buildings.
Atlas Pest & Wildlife Control offers long-term solutions intended specifically for the Vancouver winter. To eliminate active pest issues or to proactively prevent pest problems before they occur, give us a call today.