Fall Pest-Proofing: Your Guide to a Critter-Free Texas Hill Country Home

As the vibrant colors of fall take over San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country, homeowners face the annual challenge of pest-proofing their properties. The cooler temperatures of autumn often drive pests such as rodents, spiders, and cockroaches to seek refuge inside cozy, warm homes. Here’s how you can keep these uninvited guests out of your house this season.

Seal Up Cracks and Openings

The first step in fall pest-proofing is to seal any cracks and openings along the exterior of your home. Check the foundation, look around windows and doors, and inspect the attic and basement—if accessible—for any potential entry points. Silicone-based caulk is ideal for sealing smaller gaps, while steel wool can be used to fill spaces around pipes and cables that enter your home. This not only helps prevent pests from entering but also improves energy efficiency.

Clean Up the Yard

Your yard can attract various pests that might eventually make their way into your home. Keep your lawn mowed and rake up any fallen leaves. Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your house and keep it off the ground to avoid creating a haven for pests. Additionally, ensure all garbage bins are tightly sealed and stored away from your home’s exterior.

Manage Moisture

Many pests are attracted to moisture, so it’s crucial to manage and eliminate damp areas around your home. Ensure your gutters and downspouts are clean and functioning properly to direct water away from your foundation. Fix any leaky faucets and pipes, and use dehumidifiers in basements and crawl spaces to keep humidity levels in check.

Inspect Indoor Spaces

Inside your home, keep your kitchen clean and free of crumbs and food scraps. Store food in tightly sealed containers, and regularly dispose of garbage. In the bathroom, check for leaking pipes and ensure all vents are working properly to minimize moisture buildup, which can attract pests like cockroaches and silverfish.

Professional Pest Control Services

While DIY methods can be effective, sometimes a professional pest control service is necessary to handle persistent or severe infestations. Professionals can provide a thorough inspection and treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and the challenges presented by San Antonio’s unique climate.

Final Thoughts

By taking these proactive steps in the fall, you can enjoy the cooler weather without the nuisance of pests in your home. Regular maintenance and vigilance are key to keeping your home pest-free. If you’re unsure about handling any aspect of pest-proofing, don’t hesitate to call in the experts to ensure your home is protected as effectively as possible.

Flea infestations are very unpleasant to say the least, both for you and your pets. Preventing fleas starts with understanding how fleas are introduced into your home in the first place.

Most of the time, fleas enter the home when a pet brings them in from the yard. Fleas use animals as hosts, and they can jump large distances, which allows them to jump on passing animals. This allows them to travel great distances, right into your yard and then into your home.

Fleas can also travel on old furniture, infested clothing, linens or even the clothing of a human guest whose home is infected. Because of their small size, they can directly enter your home through cracks in the floor, window seals or screens.

Only a few fleas are needed to start an infestation because they can can lay hundreds of eggs before they die. After a few days the eggs hatch and the larvae spin cocoons and emerge after several weeks.

To get rid of fleas, you should begin by washing or trashing and bedding or blankets where the fleas’ ‘hosts’ spend their time. The cocoons are resistant to insecticide, but after using a flea treatment, frequent vacuuming will encourage the fleas to exit the cocoons, where they will be vulnerable to the insecticide.

If your flea infestation doesn’t get better after about a month, it may be time to re-treat or call a professional.

Does it seem impossible to keep spiders out of your home? Spiders and their webs seem to regularly appear no matter how well your home is sealed and cleaned.

If you’ve got pets, then you’ve probably encountered fleas in your home. The parasitic pests may start off by hopping a ride on your dog or cat, but they’re perfectly content to settle for human blood, too. And they’ll go after any warm body within reach.

First, keep your house cleaned and vacuumed regularly. If you find an adult flea, chances are it has already laid hundreds of eggs. This can remove existing flea populations and prevent egg laying.

Keep your yard groomed. Fleas feed on rodents and other small animals that find refuge and even food sources in overgrown bush. If the rodents are there, the fleas will be too. This may be hard for some pet owners to hear, but keeping them on a leash even in your own backyard can help avoid fleas.

Speaking of rodents, if you have a rodent problem, you may very well have a flea problem as well.

Bathe and groom your pets often, especially in summer. Flea treatments, as prescribed by your veterinarian, can help.

By following a few easy steps, you can create a hostile environment for bugs and other pests, reducing bugs & infestations, avoiding damage to your property and saving money in the long run. 

1. Seal cracks, gaps & openings: Check walls, doors, windows and foundation for cracks and gaps. Check weather stripping on doors and windows, and repair holes in screens. Use sealing materials like caulk to close off any entry points. 
2. Maintain a clean kitchen: Pests are enticed by food sources, so regularly wiping down the kitchen and ensuring all food is stored in sealed containers is crucial to avoid drawing pests’ attention to the home. 
3. Give your pets a dining space:  Give your pet a dining area on a rubber mat. This makes spilled food easier to spot and clean up. If you’re having an ant problem with pet food left on the floor, put the food bowl into a larger bowl with water in it — the ants can’t cross the moat to get to the food. 
4. Store firewood properly: Woodpiles can be an attractive home to many pests and should therefore be stored at least 20 feet away from the home and thoroughly examined before bringing indoors. 
5. Be mindful of the home’s exterior: Remove any nearby debris or leaves that could serve as shelter for pests or create a source of standing water for pests to quench their thirst. 
6. Partner with a pest control professional: Regular pest control maintenance can help you avoid costly long-term problems and damage to your property from bugs and pests.