The Basics of Perimeter Pest Control: What You Need to Know in Northeast OH

If you’ve experienced issues with ants, spiders, or other insects sneaking into your Northeast Ohio home, you’re not alone.

And while over-the-counter pest control methods hold promises of keeping your home free of outdoor pests, many don’t provide the lasting results you need to feel secure in your own home.

If you are ready to feel peace of mind knowing that insects remain outdoors where they belong, perimeter pest control may just be the answer for you.

Here’s what you should know about perimeter pest control basics, how exterior perimeter treatments can keep pests from entering your home, exterior pest control tips, and more.

What Is Perimeter Pest Control?

Perimeter pest control works by sealing off potential entry points around the foundation of your home, door frames, and windows.

Think of it like a barricade or barrier offering an extra layer of protection for you and your family against crawling pests. Insects that try to push through that barrier to enter your home will not survive.

This protective layer is refreshed through repeat applications, typically every 30 days, for a total of five treatments, and serves as a proactive approach that blocks the bugs from entering your home in the first place, unlike interior pest control, which aims to eliminate the insects once they have already made it inside your home.

After all, it is much easier to deter pests from entering your home than it is to get rid of them once they are already inside.

If you’re wondering how an application like this may affect your family, don’t fret. This type of pest control is completely safe for humans and pets, and it usually dries within an hour, so after that, you can go about your day as normal.

What Pests Are Commonly Controlled with Perimeter Treatments in Mentor & Surrounding Areas

So, what type of insects can perimeter pest control prevent?

Here’s a look at some of the most common insect invaders that perimeter pest treatments can control:

• Ants
• Spiders
• Centipedes
• Earwigs
• Stink bugs

However, you should be aware that perimeter pest control affects crawling insects that come into contact with the product, like spiders and ants, rather than flying pests, such as flies.

You should also note that these treatments are different from mosquito and flea and tick services in how they are applied, where they are applied, and what pests they target, even though all of these treatments share the same end goal of keeping your property free of pesky pests.

Now, let’s take a look at why these types of treatments are so useful in Northeast Ohio homes.

Why Perimeter Pest Control Is Especially Important in Northeast Ohio

As a Northeast Ohio resident, you likely are no stranger to the insects that try to make your home theirs.

Here’s a look at some of the reasons why Northeast Ohio homes tend to experience recurring pest patterns, making a preventive pest control approach all the more important.

1. Seasonal Pest Pressures

While Northeast Ohio’s climate brings varying seasons, that also means that each season can tout different pest pressures.

For example, rainy spring days can cause ants to seek refuge from wet ground in your dry home.

You may encounter spiders more often in your home in late summer and early fall during their mating season as they become more active.

Finally, invaders like centipedes and stink bugs are more likely to seek out the warmth of your home in the fall when temperatures outside start to drop.

2. Freeze/Thaw Cycles

Anyone who has lived through the winter in Northeast Ohio understands that freeze/thaw cycles are not uncommon.

However, this type of cycle can wreak havoc on your home’s foundation as freezing temperatures cause water present in small cracks to expand, widening those cracks and creating bigger openings through which pests can come into your home.

3. Moisture Issues

If you have a yard that doesn’t seem to drain well, that may be another reason pests try to march into your home as they abandon flooded or poorly draining ground.

While there may be several causes of your lawn’s drainage problems, one of them could be that your lawn features clay soil, a common soil type in this area. Clay soil can get very compacted over time, causing water to pool on the surface.

4. Wooded Properties

If you live in Mentor or an eastern suburb nearby, you might have a lot of trees on your property.

Trees can serve as a habitat for certain pests, so if they are already attracted to your property by trees, it’s not too far of a leap to your home.

How Exterior Perimeter Treatments Prevent Bugs from Entering Your Home

Despite the factors listed above, there’s no reason you can’t prevent these pests from entering your home, but to do so you may have to fortify your home with an extra protective barrier, like the one created by a perimeter pest control treatment.

Because crawling insects enter at the ground level, perimeter pest control is applied around your foundation and near entry points like windows and doors. It can be especially useful to keep pests from crawling through gaps or cracks in your home’s foundation.

Investing in this type of prevention can save you the headaches (and costs) of dealing with an interior infestation later down the line after the pests have already taken up in your house.

5 Exterior Pest Control Tips for Homeowners Between Professional Visits

In addition to signing up for a perimeter pest control treatment, there are a few other things you can do to keep your home pest free between applications.

1. Reduce Moisture Near Your Home’s Foundation

As discussed, water trapped near your home’s foundation can expand during freeze cycles, causing the cracks already present in your home’s foundation to grow bigger, so try to keep the moisture in and around your home’s foundation to a minimum.

2. Seal Visible Cracks

By filling in cracks, gaps, and holes in your home, you effectively take away potential entry points for insect invaders.

3. Manage Clutter Near Your Home

Think about the objects you have in your yard. Do you have a lot of clutter lying around? Insects can harbor in these areas, so be sure to keep clutter away from your house.

4. Trim Vegetation Near The Foundation

For a similar reason, you may want to keep an eye on the plants that grow near your home’s foundation and trim them back if they start to creep too close.

5. Keep Mulch From Touching the Siding

While mulch provides numerous benefits to the plants and flowers within your landscape beds, it can also serve as a roadway for bugs looking for a new home inside your house.

Cut off this potential entrance by making sure mulch doesn’t touch the siding of your home.

DIY vs. Professional Perimeter Pest Control in Northeast Ohio

If you are still leaning toward DIY pest control, consider the following.

Plenty of products out there claim to protect your home against pests, but the best results come from experience.

Certified pest professionals know exactly what type of product to apply, how much to apply, and when to apply it, and they harbor a deep knowledge about the types of pests that can enter your home and where they typically sneak in. A professional also can make notes about potential problem areas around your home, so you can seal them up before they become an issue.

Plus, a pest professional can ensure the product is applied in the safest way possible, ensuring that your home has the proper coverage.

Finally, it’s important to note that to achieve the best results, consistency is key. So, why not leave it to the professionals to remember when your perimeter is due for another treatment instead of adding yet another thing to your to-do list?

Protect Your Northeast Ohio Home with Professional Perimeter Pest Control

Protect your home so invading insects “bug off” for good with perimeter pest control from Turf Pride. We are a trusted local expert serving Mentor, Chardon, Twinsburg, Solon, and surrounding eastern Cleveland suburbs.

Our perimeter pest control pairs seamlessly with the company’s lawn care and plant health care programs as a preventive and proactive approach to keep your property pest free.

Request a perimeter pest control consultation or free quote online today.