Garage & Shed Pest Control Tips

While you probably take care to keep pests and wildlife out of your entryways, living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and other spaces inside your home, you might not be paying attention to two other important spaces: Your garage and backyard shed. Garage pest control, and pest control for other outdoor storage spaces, is critical.

These spaces are hybrid indoor/outdoor spaces likely to have doors left open for leaves and debris to blow in, wildlife to wander through and pests to set up homes easily.

Much like your home, these spaces must be protected from pests and nuisance wildlife for their long-term stability. Damage from pests such as Termites and Carpenter Ants can result in costly repairs, while wasp nests and disease-carrying rodents pose a threat to your safety and health.

What can you do?

Keep your sheds and garages organized and clutter-free.

The worst thing you can do is cram your storage spaces with so many tools, boxes and bags that you can’t easily spot obvious signs of pest and wildlife invasion. Leave space in these areas that allow you to shift your stored goods from time to time to check for animal habitats and droppings, ant colonies, webs, hives, damage and more.

Don’t store valuable items in these areas without proper care.

Do you have boxes filled with memorabilia or photos waiting to be scrapbooked in your garage? What about snow coats being stored during the summer? Do you have an assortment of holiday decorations and wrapping paper? Easily exposed, these can all be great nesting materials for rodents.

Never store food in your garage or outdoor storage spaces.

Keep stored items off the floor.

While this protects items from moisture damage as well, it also keeps your floors clear for identifying signs of pest activity, such as their droppings, trails or visible movement.

Take preventative pest control steps outside your garage and shed.

Securing the perimeter of these places is very important. Keep plants, debris and dirt away from the edges, as much as possible. Don’t let tree branches or bushes provide easy access to the roofs of your structures, and seal all unnecessary openings, such as cracks or holes in the foundation, roof or siding.

Monitor seasonal damages.

Heavy winter snow, rain, wind and heat can damage your property. Keep an eye on structural changes to your garage and shed that may provide pests and wildlife opportunities to intrude.

Ensure any doorways or attached walls to the main house are protected.

Rodents and bugs may be more free to move about your garage due to its frequent openness, but that doesn’t mean they should be able to walk straight into your house. Making a conscious effort to keep doorways to your house closed prevents a host of pest control issues from beginning.

If you have any questions about securing your garage and shed spaces, make sure to reach out to us so we can help you out. If you think you have a pest control issue, don’t delay in getting it solved! Contact professionals immediately.