Pest Exclusion: What It Is and Why You Need It

When it comes to pests in our home environments, many are concerned with being “green” and using humane methods of control. Whether you have an infestation or are just dealing with an individual pest (such as bats, roof rats and other wildlife), pest exclusion helps to prevent problems in the future while remaining eco-friendly and effective. Pest exclusion is also the most long-term method of pest control.

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What is pest exclusion?

Pest exclusion is typically your first line of defense when it comes to pest control. As you could probably imagine, pest exclusion is the act of “excluding” pests from your home. Pest exclusion denies critters the opportunity to enter your home or building by sealing the areas they are most likely to enter.

How does exclusion work?

Traditionally, the pest control industry would use pesticides to prevent pests from entering homes or businesses. While this is an effective measure and is still necessary for many instances, it is providing a treatment for the symptoms, not the cause. Exclusion gets to the root cause of why pests are a problem in the first place – because they are in your space.

With exclusion, you are looking at your whole property and finding any way for pests to enter your structure – such as foundation cracks, improperly sealed vents and drain pipes (just to name a few). If you know how they are getting in, you can seal them out using sealant, structural repairs, or even modifying human behavior to not prop open doors. It also involves removal of certain exterior properties that may attract pests, such as trash, water, compost and yard clutter.

By looking at the root cause, pest control is much more effective and much less reliant on pesticides.

Exclusion tips:

Here are a few go-to ideas if you are interested in keeping your property pest-free:

Seal cracks/gaps in foundation and siding

Fill holes where utility lines enter the building

If you have a chimney, make sure you install a chimney cap

Close gaps in window/doors and repair broken screens

Remove yard debris that can be harborages for pests

When to hire a professional:

If you have followed these exclusion methods and are still experiencing issues, it might be time to hire a professional. A pest control expert can help identify the various places you may have missed, and make the proper recommendations and treatments.

Holder’s EnviroGuard Program is designed to keep households free of pests all-year-round while remaining compliant with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The most important measure of pest control is to treat the cause, not the symptom – and that’s where we can help.