All posts in “firewood”

What are some ways to discourage insects trying to enter your home?

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What are some ways to discourage insects trying to enter your home?

 

One of the things that Pest Management Professionals try to utilize are IPM or Integrated Pest Management techniques. These basic ideas include using non-chemical methods to reduce the bug population around your home.

  • This can be as simple as removing firewood from close to your home to maybe next to a block wall and making sure its not directly on the ground.
  • Trimming trees to prevent ants and other crawling pests from just walking right on it.
  • Using yellow lighting or sodium vapor lights on structures or businesses will help to reduce flying insects.
  • Keeping stone or dirt away from the stucco of your home so you can clearly see the foundation.
  • Sealing up any cracks and crevices where bugs love to hide, this may include those block wall bump-outs.
  • Keep trash cans away from doors where people come and go often.
  • Check your property often and stay ahead of the insects.

brookstone If you store lots of firewood a device like this can keep it off the ground and you can always cover it with a tarp.

 

ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips how to keep those bugs out!

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ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips to keep those bugs out!

 

  1. Seal up those cracks, holes and any entry points where those critters can get in.
  2. Reduce harborage areas where those bugs hang out.
  3. Keep trees, shrubs and vines off the house.
  4. Check your home monthly for any signs of trouble.
  5. Never and I mean never stack firewood against the house.
  6. Check and repair window screens.
  7. Store food in seal-able containers and I usually freeze it first then store.
  8. Avoid taking in boxes and storing them in pantry – see #7 above.
  9. Don’t forget to check out buildings, honeybees and termites can show up and do significant damage if not caught immediately.
  10. Follow your local Pest Management Professional on FaceBook, Twitter or their home seal to stay current with local issues.

Ho, Ho Ho – Pest Tips for the Christmas Season

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  Ho, Ho Ho – Pest Tips for the Christmas Season

As the season approaches and you begin the work to set up all those decorations we thought we should share a few tips on decorating:

  1. If you stored anything in your attic, check those boxes before you bring them into your home. I suggest opening them in your garage and unpacking before distributing them throughout your home. (Rodents, roaches, scorpions and all types of nasty critters could be making a home within those boxes).
  2. Check that Christmas tree before bringing it into your home, bird and bugs could be living within those branches. Some bugs lay eggs or egg cases on trees and plant, so take care. Also check any wreaths or homemade type of decorations for insects or eggs.
  3. If your putting up lights or decorations outside, check for signs of infestations such as birds nesting in eaves and honeybees going in and out from a hole or crack.
  4. If you are putting decorations on you roof (be careful) but check for any signs of infestation. Rodents and wildlife may be scratching or clawing at wood or shingles trying to gain entry, this is a great time to check for any type of activity.
  5. If your putting lights on shrubs or trees, check for signs of nesting such as pack rats and other types of birds.
  6. If you bring in firewood, only take in what you re going to use right away. Some beetles lays eggs in wood and if it is warmer in the home they may decide it’s summer time and exit the wood.

 

Merry Christmas to all our friends may you enjoy a peaceful and enjoyable pest free holiday season and just remember we are but a phone call away.

ProBest Pest Management

425 W. Guadalupe Road #110

Gilbert, AZ 85233

480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176

What are they thinking?

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What are they thinking?

It’ just not a good idea to stack anything up near the foundation of your home. This goes for stone & rock, mulch, firewood or for that matter anything that blocks the foundation from view. The reason that the stucco doesn’t go to the dirt is so you can see the foundation and spot any trouble before it happens.

Termites can sneak up the foundation wall and begin to eat your home very quickly, so please do those monthly inspections and we won’t be seeing you!

But we are always there if you need us ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328

Spring is almost here!

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  Spring is almost here!

Spring is almost here, at least in Arizona and soon we will heading to those wonderful 120° temperatures. So the BIG question are you ready for Spring Cleaning? Here are a few tips on preparing for the summer heat ahead of us all.

  1. Check all out building for pests, like bees or termites.
  2. Check the eaves of your home for bees and cracks in which bugs hide.
  3. The Spring is a great time to caulk and seal your home against unwanted pests, it’s cooler and we all know we don’t want to do it in the Summer.
  4. Check for any nesting around the home, rodents and birds use nesting material and will often drag it in through opening in the walls and ceilings.
  5. Use a cobweb broom to knock down interior dust webs.
  6. Trim those trees from against the home.
  7. Never stack firewood or wood against the home.
  8. Clean your carpets.
  9. How about some plumbing spring cleaning – here are some tips from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing

If you need any help feel free to call us at 480-831-9328 ProBest Pest Management

Don’t let the sneaky rodents in!

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10 Common access points

 

While many entry points are not obvious, a few are. Let’s look at a quick checklist of the more common ones:

 

1. Under garage doors; where the door does not meet the concrete pad. Replace the seal.

2. Crawlspace vents; repair or replace if screens are ripped or vents broken.

3. HVAC penetrations; where HVAC refrigeration lines go through the foundation and around the unit itself.

4. Hose bibs; where water line goes through foundation or wall.

5. Under first course of siding; occasionally you’ll find an opening between the sill plate and footer.

6. Door frames; openings between door frame and structure.

7. Plumbing vent cover missing or broken; reinstall or replace.

8. Under entry way doors; adjust or replace door sweep.

9. Wire/cable through wall or foundation; seal around opening.

10. Basement and crawlspace doors; seal all openings.

This information taken from an article in B&G EquipNet Technical Newsletter November 2011 by William H. Robinson, Ph.D

I would also like to state a few others that we all should be aware of:

  • Never stack firewood against the house, it will attract pest including rodents, spiders and ocassional pests.
  • Window screens.
  • Weep holes, screens in place or repaired.
  • No trees touching the home.

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