Get Ready for Guests, Not Pests: How to Protect Your Home During Renovations
Renovating your home is a rewarding but challenging undertaking. Whether updating a single room or your entire living space, it’s gratifying to see the finished product and share it with friends and family. Unfortunately, pests are always waiting to revel in the celebration with you. The renovation process can leave your home vulnerable to insects, rodents, and other unwanted invaders looking for shelter. That’s why it’s important to factor pest exclusion and prevention into your home renovation plans.
Keep an Eye Out for Structural Gaps
During renovations, it’s common to tear down, replace, or move structures like doors, walls, and windows. This process can create open lanes for pests to move inside. Ensure all structures are tightly fitted in place, and inspect the renovated areas for any holes or openings, using sealant to patch these up where appropriate.
Be Aware of How the Site is Graded
Understanding how your property is graded is crucial for controlling water drainage. Poor grading can lead to large pools of standing water, which attract mosquitoes and other pests. Ensure that the site is graded to allow water to flow away from your house.
Keep Doors Closed When Not in Use
This may sound simple, but it’s easy to forget, especially with a lot of foot traffic during renovations. Pests will seize the opportunity to make their way inside if you don’t close the doors. In cases where doors or windows can’t be kept closed, install pest prevention devices such as monitors and mechanical pest control products as a line of defense.
Clean Up the Clutter
Renovations often leave materials like wood and glass, as well as building tools and equipment, lying around. This clutter can provide hiding places for pests. Pack everything up and store it safely after each use, especially outdoors, where items like wood piles and water-holding barrels can provide nesting or breeding grounds.
Watch Where You Dig
Moving soil around your home can disrupt pest populations, including bugs and burrowing animals. Look for elevated pest activity in areas where you’re digging and ensure pests aren’t relocating from the dirt into your home. Aerate renovated rooms or sites to ensure proper drying of surfaces and structures, especially if wall plastering is involved, as improper drying can lead to psocid and plaster beetle infestations.
Use Professional Pest Control Services
If you’re unsure where to begin or need extra help, contact a trusted pest management provider. They’ll examine your property and develop targeted exclusion and prevention techniques to keep your house fortified against pests.
Need a quick reference guide for all of this? You can also download our expert tip sheet here.
Reviewed by Alice Sinia, Ph.D., MSc on September 21 2020.
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