Winter in St. Louis creates more than snow and sub-zero temperatures, and they often are unwanted houseguests looking for warmth. When temperatures begin to drop along the Mississippi River, mice, rats, spiders, and insects begin looking for places to hunker down for the winter, and they view your home as prime real estate. The older housing stock that gives the Gateway City its charming brick facades and historic architecture, unfortunately, provides these winter invaders with plenty of access points.
St. Louis has recently been named one of the top 50 cities in the United States for rodent problems, with a 30% increase in pest control calls between November and February. If you do not act, the pests will temporarily become your guests in your attic, basement, and wall voids. Although seasonal maintenance is beneficial when performed early, pointepestcontrol.com offers protection throughout the entire season.
Exterior Maintenance Tasks
- Seal foundation cracks and gaps – Walk the perimeter of your home and fill in any cracks or holes greater than a quarter inch with caulk or steel wool, especially around utility entry points
- Clean gutters and downspouts – Get rid of leaves and debris that cause moisture issues and desirable roosting spots for pests
- Trim tree branches and shrubs – Get vegetation to at least three feet from the exterior of your home to deprive pests of highways inside
- Inspect and repair window screens – Replace ripped screens and inspect the weatherstripping around entry doors.
- Store all your firewood properly – Ensure to keep Keep wood piles at least 20 feet from your home and off the ground.
Interior Maintenance Tasks
- Deep clean your kitchen – Clean shelves, excavate any trapped sugars behind refrigerators and filling cabinets, and set food in closed canisters to take away food options
- Declutter storage areas – Clean out basements, attics, and closets using plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes, as rodents can chew through cardboard.
- Check for moisture issues – Leaky pipes should be fixed, a dehumidifier should be used in green areas and damp areas, and bathrooms should be adequately ventilated.
- Inspect around pipes and vents – Insulate the gaps where plumbing and HVAC fibers penetrate using frigid foam
- Vacuum regularly – Make sure to focus on corners, baseboards, and beneath furniture where crumbs and debris gather
Professional Pest Control Steps for Winter
For those whose winter pest prevention requires expert assistance, Pointe Pest Control offers tailored solutions for homeowners in St. Louis. Most of them begin with a comprehensive property inspection where they note existing infestations and potential weak spots in your home based on the age and style of your home. This includes bonding pest barricades around the foundation of your property, placing tracking stations in areas where they repeatedly visit (such as basements and crawl spaces), and treating wall gaps where rodents typically reside. What distinguishes professional services is that they understand local pest behavior.
St. Louis’s freeze-thaw cycles offer new entry points throughout the winter, and they adapt treatment plans accordingly. Investing in a quarterly pest management service is worthwhile, as homes can expect up to 80% fewer pest incidents compared to those relying on DIY methods.
Timing Your Winter Pest Prep
Keeping St. Louis winter pests at bay starts before they become a problem. Begin your exterior maintenance in late October when the temperature is consistently below 50°F. This is when rodents start looking for places to shelter. Complete the interior prep work by mid-November, prior to the metro area experiencing its first hard freeze. Schedule your professional pest control in early fall so that treatments have time to take effect before pest pressures increase.
Stay ahead of the game and do not wait until you see droppings or hear the scratching from inside the walls. It is a lot harder and therefore costlier to remove pests by then. Winter pest prep is like winterizing your car: you want to do this before the first snowstorm hits, not during it.
