How do Bugs Get into Your Home?

How do bugs get into your home? When you’re finding insects (and even rodents) invading the inside of your home, you might wonder how they wound up there in the first place.

Many homeowners are surprised to find out how easy it is for bugs to gain entry indoors. The good news is that infestations are preventable, but keeping bugs at bay is how you can stop invasions before they begin.

So, how do bugs get into your home? Consider these common entry points.

Gaps Around Windows and Doors

If you haven’t thought about your windows and doors lately in terms of energy savings, you might want to think about them if you have problems with bugs.

Why? Because gaps around windows and doors become an inviting entryway for insects of all types. Some gaps are quite large where you can see sunlight around the frame. Other times, gaps are small and they can be hard to see without a close inspection.

When there are gaps around windows and doors, it is easy for bugs to squeeze through. Even colonies of ants can discover this entryway where it turns into an infestation.

How to Stop Bugs from Getting Through Window & Door Gaps

First, how can you tell that there are gaps around your windows and doors? The most obvious case is when there is sunlight coming through. Otherwise, you might feel a draft around the window sill.

In other circumstances, you might find water around the door or window frames. If a door or windows are leaking, this means that bugs can get through as well.

How do you stop bugs from getting through windows and doors? You want to make sure they are properly and professionally installed. This ensures that there is no gap around the frame, therefore no point of entry for any type of bugs.

You can also try caulking around the window and door frame. This will seal out any entry points that make it possible for bugs to make their way through. Door sweeps and weather stripping will help as well.

Holes in the Exterior

It can be tricky to notice, but holes in your exterior are another entry point for bugs to get inside your home. This is especially true if you are dealing with old wood siding that is rotting out, making it easy for bugs to gain access.

Keep in mind that a hole the size of a pencil eraser can allow a baby mouse to slip inside. If this is the case, imagine how many insects can get through holes and cracks.

How To Stop Bugs From Getting Through Holes In The Exterior

The first one to step outside and look at your home with a critical eye. Notice any type of hole, no matter how small. If the hole is big enough for you to notice it, it’s definitely big enough for bugs to get through.

The next step is to seal off those holes and cracks that you discover on your home. The way to fix this depends on the material of the exterior. You might need to repair cracked or broken vinyl siding panels. Old wood siding with holes in it might need to be replaced. Cracks in your foundation can be potentially fixed with an epoxy sealer.

Utility Lines and Appliance Vents

The last thing we want to think about is bugs getting through places such as our appliance vents, but unfortunately this is a common case. Appliance vents allow for easy entry for all types of bugs, making their way into your home as they please. Gas lines, telephone lines, and dryer vents are all at risk.

How To Stop Bugs From Getting Inside Vents and Utility Lines

How do bugs get into your home? Many homeowners don’t think about vents or utility lines, but this is an easy access point.

But how can you possibly stop bugs from getting inside these areas? The good news is that there are several ways to block entry. One way to achieve this is by applying caulk to cracks and crevices, just as you will for your exterior and around window and door gaps. Caulk is an easy fix for smaller utility and vent openings.

When it comes to larger holes, you’ll want to consider using a foam spray filling. This will ensure that the entry point is filled to its entirety, keeping insects at bay.

Large Openings in Roofs or Chimneys

Hopefully you do not have a large opening in your roof or chimney, as this is bad for energy loss as well as leaks and moisture damage. However, if there is a large opening in one of these areas, bugs are certainly getting inside.

Unfortunately, it is not always easy to seal off a large opening in a rooor chimney. Depending on the size, you might need to contact a roofing contractor to repair the section or even replace your entire roof.

Meanwhile, a chimney company or Roofing contractor may need to redo the chimney flashing.

How To Stop Bugs From Getting Inside Large Openings

You will have to discover the best way to close off large openings and gaps in your home. One way to achieve this is by using a mesh cover to keep them out. Better yet, this mesh covering can also help keep out animals such as raccoons, squirrels, and more.

Keep Your Kitchen Clean

Unfortunately, it’s going to be nearly impossible to keep all bugs out of your home at all times. Some bugs are so small that we would never see them squeezing through an entry point.

However, you also don’t want to offer bugs easy access to food or water. Even the tiniest crumbs can look like a buffet to ants and other insects.

How To Keep Bugs Out Of Your Kitchen

What’s the best way to keep bugs out of your kitchen? Make sure you keep it clean. Each night, you should be wiping the counters down from crumbs. make sure that all food is put away and sealed in their proper containers.

Even food that you have not eaten that day should be tightly packed away. Check your pantry and make sure that there are no open cereal boxes or any type of bread out in the open. If so, put it away and keep it sealed.

Not only will this keep unwanted insects at bay, but it also helps to keep rodents away as well.

How to Get Bugs Out of Your House

Maybe it is too late and you already have bugs running around your house. It might be cockroaches, ants, or spiders. Either way, you want to get these pests out of your house as quickly and easily as possible.

Consider the following advice on how to get bugs out of your house:

Clean & Sweep on a Regular Basis

A vacuum can be a bug’s worst nightmare. Keeping your house vacuumed on a regular basis can help sweep up existing bugs or even their eggs. Make sure that you take the canister or back outside and empty it after you are done vacuuming. This will ensure that all remains of bugs or their eggs are removed from your home. You can also try using a little bit of baking soda on your carpet before vacuuming, which will help suffocate the bugs.

Keep in mind that using a vacuum on a bug is not a guaranteed way to kill insects. It will certainly help eliminate crumbs in any food sources, but whether the vacuum will kill the insect or not depends on the type of bug and the type of vacuum that you use.

Keep Your Drains Cleaned

Run your garbage disposal and clean your drains on a regular basis. This includes your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, as well as bathtub. This is because insects such as drain flies, spiders, and centipedes can get through your drains.

Keep Your Yard Maintained

Keeping your yard maintained is another way to get rid of or prevent a bug infestation. This is because bugs like to hide in areas that are unmaintained, such as leaf piles or piles of wood.

Remember that standing water also attracts bugs, especially mosquitos. Standing water can easily result in a mosquito infestation.

Common bugs that you’ll want to watch out for are cockroaches, ants, centipedes, termites, and bed bugs.