Florida experiences severe weather during hurricane season, the time of year when hurricanes are possible. Hurricane season starts June 1st and ends November 30th every year. The worst part of hurricane season is between mid-August through mid-October.
When the weather gets bad, you are more likely to experience pest and wildlife issues. For example, animals might begin to look for shelter from the storm. Even further, hurricanes can lead to standing water that attracts mosquitoes, rotting food from power outages that attracts flies or rodents, and structural damage that causes entry points that animals could use to get inside of your home.
Because there is an increased risk of pest infestations during hurricane season, you need to know how to animal-proof your home. Before June and during the season, you should increase your pest control efforts, drain any standing water, remove food waste, identify and resolve water damage, seal entry points, and contact a professional wildlife removal company for assistance.
How to Keep Your Home Safe From Pests Before a Hurricane
Storms like hurricanes can cause devastating effects to homes across the country. In Florida, you are at a significant risk of experiencing adverse effects during hurricane season. Not only do you have to worry about structural damage from high winds, flooding, or power outages, but you could also deal with pest infestations.
Animal activity increases before storms begin. They go into a desperate search for food and shelter to keep them safe from the storm. Additionally, if a hurricane has hit, having standing water, entry points to your home, or rotting food can cause animals to make your property their home.
When wildlife-proofing your home during hurricane season, you should:
Increase Your Animal Control Efforts
Before the reports of a potential hurricane begin hitting your local news, you can start preparing your home to prevent pests. First, you should conduct interior and exterior inspections of your home to identify any existing structural damage that could become worsened if a hurricane comes. Seal any cracks with a silicone-based caulk and fix water damage.
If you have a pest control company that comes regularly to spray for bugs, call them and ask them to come out again. Additionally, if you find any areas that could collect standing water, remove them to ensure that it does not become an issue.
Drain and Prevent Standing Water
While you might think the heavy winds from a hurricane would wipe out the local mosquito population, they actually thrive during this season. Hurricanes tend to leave behind a lot of standing water, providing mosquitoes with a breeding ground.
If any areas of your home or property have standing water, drain it and move the objects to prevent the water from accumulating again. Doing this will prevent your property from becoming infested with mosquitoes.
Remove Food Waste
Hurricanes often cause power outages that can last for multiple days to even weeks in severe cases. If you experience a power outage in your home, you need to throw out any perishable food items. Allowing spoiled food to sit will attract flies and rodents to your home.
It’s important to note that the garbage collection will prioritize regular garbage, like food waste, over the debris you clean up from the hurricane. Because of this, you should make sure to keep these items separate so your food waste is disposed of quickly.
Identify Water Damage
Water damage can lead to rotting wood, which attracts termites to your property. Having a termite infestation can put you at risk of devastating structural damage to your home. If you find any water damage from a hurricane, you should quickly call a contractor to come out and fix it.
Seal Entry Points
High winds, rain, and hail caused by hurricanes can cause significant damage to your home. They can also displace wildlife in your area. This troubling combination can increase the risk of small mammals like raccoons, squirrels, and rodents seeking shelter in your home.
Because wildlife might try to enter your home for shelter, you should check the interior and exterior to look for any small entry points. The wind and flying debris could have created small openings in your home that would allow animals to enter. When you find an entry point, do your best to seal it efficiently until a contractor can come to fix the damage.
Contact a Wildlife Control Company
If you are dealing with a pest or wildlife issue after experiencing a hurricane, you might need professional help. Whether you have insects like termites and ants or rodents like rats and mice, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers are here to help you. We can remove any type of wildlife from your property, keeping you and the animals safe at the same time.
Get Connected to a Wildlife Control Company in Florida
Natural disasters like hurricanes can displace animals and cause them to seek shelter on your property. If you are dealing with a wildlife issue, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers are here to help. We can resolve any type of animal infestation, from insects and rodents to mammals like raccoons.
Contact us today for more information on how to wildlife-proof your home before hurricane season.
