Summer has arrived – along with plenty of unwanted visitors. You’ve tried to protect your home, you’ve sealed and sprayed your doors, windows and property, but haven’t had any luck evicting the bugs and insects who are invading your personal space.
From chemical treatments to all-natural remedies, there are plenty of New Jersey homeowners who have resorted to keeping their homes closed up for the summers in a last-ditch effort to keep the bugs and other creepy-crawly pests out.
While there are a wide variety of insects and bugs in the Garden State, there are some that are very common – especially in the summer.
- Wasps: A wasp sting can be extremely painful, causing severe redness and swelling, along with life-threatening adverse reactions for those with allergies.
- Japanese beetles: More than a nuisance, Japanese beetles can be deadly for trees, roses, and more than 300 other types of plants. They are recognized for their bright metallic-green bodies and copper-colored wings.
- Stink bugs: While the biggest threat they cause to individuals is the pungent smell they emit when captured or killed, stink bugs can cause significant damage to plant life.
- Bagworms: These perennial pests create nests that look like webs, causing serious damage to many fruit and flowering trees, as well as types of evergreen.
- Ants: From the odorous house ant and pavement ant, that are more of a bother than anything else, to the Pharaoh ant, which can carry and spread disease, ants are a common summer bug.
- Spiders: Most of the spiders in New Jersey are house spiders and wolf spiders, which are harmless to humans, but the state also has brown recluse and black widow spiders, which can cause painful, dangerous bites.
- Mosquitoes: These insects breed in standing water, and can carry many diseases and illnesses.
- Rodents and reptiles: Mice, rats, and snakes can find their way inside your house, even after you think you’ve closed up each possible entryway
When Should I Call for Help?
If you’ve seen any insects, bugs, or pests that you don’t want around your house, trying various options and remedies may have been your first step. If you’ve seen no relief, or have had new pests enter your home, it’s time to look at something more permanent.
Window Replacement
Replacing windows with new energy-efficient windows, they can help to improve your house, as well as work to prevent winged bugs or insects from getting into your home. It’s important to work with experienced installers who will seal the interior and exterior openings with high-grade caulk to ensure there are no openings. We’ll help you keep bugs out of your windows and stop them from coming into your home. Contact us today and we’ll show you how to stop bugs from coming through your windows.
Door replacement
A closed door doesn’t always guarantee that insects and pests won’t get inside your house. It’s important to regularly inspect your door and frame, which can help you decide when it’s time to call for professional support.
- Adding steel or aluminum thresholds or door sweeps, will add a more thorough level of protection to keep your house free from bugs.
- Screens should have a maximum of 20 mesh, which is too small for most pests to pass through.
- Fill all of the cracks. Using a high-quality silicone or acrylic latex caulk in small cracks can help keep out rodents, lizards, and insects. Larger gaps should be filled with materials like wood, cement, sheetrock or mortar.
- Self-closing doors can prevent doors from accidentally being left open and allowing easy entry for pests.
If you’ve tried these methods and have seen no change, a better option is door replacement. Because of the extreme climate changes, houses can shift, leading to doors that don’t always fit the frame exactly. Not only does this lower the efficiency of your house, but can leave spaces and gaps for these pests to get inside. Storm doors can also contribute to the problem. When the screens have torn or popped out, these doors can leave space open for mosquitos and other flying bugs to enter.
New doors are made of a variety of materials, including steel and fiberglass, and can provide greater durability and resistance to the weather. Professional installation will ensure that the fit and sizing are exact, which will help keep insects and bugs out.
New doors should be leveled and squared. Insulation between the voids between the frame and wall, as well as sealing each side of the interior and exterior with non-drying, quality caulk, can help to solve any bug or insect problems you might be experiencing.
RWC has been a leader in helping homeowners with their home improvement projects since 1959. Call or visit us on the web today for a free consultation.
