Spring Centipede Prevention For Houston Homes
While most species of centipedes are not considered dangerous to Houston residents and pets, they can nevertheless be a serious nuisance in and around the homes they infest. As spring arrives, preventing pests like centipedes from getting inside can be a difficult task for the unprepared. Luckily, there are some great strategies you can use to mitigate your risk for pests like centipedes and keep them from breaking in.
Tips To Keep Spring Centipedes Out
Like many household pests, humidity is what attracts centipedes, and seeing them could be an early warning sign of a moisture problem somewhere on the property. However, unlike other moisture-attracted pests like termites, centipedes will not make their own tunnels into your home and will instead use those already made by other pests. Therefore, one essential part of deterring centipedes is to prevent the other spring pests. Here are some great tips to keep centipedes at bay:
1. Fix Any Moisture Problems Around Your Home.
As noted, centipedes are attracted to moisture, which is one reason they are found in kitchens and bathrooms—often inside bathtubs, sinks, and along the walls.
Beyond only deterring centipedes, fixing moisture problems like leaky pipes and hoses, improper attic ventilation, and excess humidity in attics and basement areas can go a long way toward preventing spring and summer pests of all shapes and sizes. Moisture problems can cause massive damage to your property, so don't wait when it comes to getting these problems fixed. If your attic or basement is especially humid, install a dehumidifier to help prevent moisture as much as possible.
You should also check for external moisture problems, such as malfunctioning gutters. If gutters aren't correctly channeling rainwater away from your roof as well as exterior walls and foundations, it can create the perfect call for centipedes to invade.
Make sure exterior air conditioning units aren’t causing excessive moisture around the walls and siding of your home. Organic material like mulch, leaf piles, and logs can also hold a high amount of moisture. If these exterior elements are present around your house, make sure to keep them several feet away from the exterior walls.
2. Seal Off Your Home
With the moisture problems that commonly attract them addressed, next you'll need to seal off the home itself to put a physical barrier between your home and the centipedes looking to come inside. Some good tips include:
Seal off holes used for exterior wiring and plumbing
Seal up cracks and crevices in the home's foundation.
Close all exterior doors and windows when not in use, and install door sweeps where possible (especially for basement doors).
Install screens on all exterior doors and windows.
Use caulk to seal gaps found around exterior doors.
Replace any rotten or damaged door and window frames.
Trim the treeline back from the house to allow for proper drying to your home's exterior foundation.
3. Get a Comprehensive Pest Treatment Plan
Ultimately, the best prevention to keep centipedes and any other invasive spring pest out of Houston homes is to get a comprehensive treatment plan from a qualified pest control company in place.
At Modern pest control, we have decades of experience in keeping Houston homes free from centipedes and all manner of other pests. Don’t wait! Contact us today for a free consultation and keep your home pest-free for the future!