It’s slowly starting to warm up and that means that spring is starting! And as wonderful as it is to think about summer BBQs and splashing around in the pool, warm weather also means it’s time for all those pesky pests to come out of hibernation. Here are some useful tips from spring cleaning specialists and cash property buyers in Dallas on how to get the most out of your pest prevention strategy.
The problem with pests
In Dallas, the most common pests include cockroaches, wasps, ants, spiders, rodents, and termites. These pests aren’t just annoyances – they can cause serious problems in your home. Cockroaches spread harmful pathogens and bacteria, bringing in diseases and germs from sewer systems, trash, and worse. Termites, ants, and rodents can cause severe damage to structural wood, electrical wiring, and piping, and while not all spiders are bad, some can cause a nasty bite. While all these animals have an important place in the ecosystem, the way we live can create spaces where they thrive out of control and cause a lot of damage to our homes and health.
How to prevent pests in your Dallas home
Springtime is synonymous with spring cleaning, and this can help with pest prevention too! Here are our best pest prevention tips.
- Declutter – Clutter in your home, garage, garden shed, or yard, is the perfect place for pests to shelter and build nests. These can easily become breeding areas for mosquitoes, wasps, mice, and spiders. Start by decluttering and selling or donating all the items you don’t use, then clean and organize your remaining items, storing them in a relatively secure and airtight space that pests can’t get into.
- Trim your trees and shrubs – Overgrown yards are another haven for pests, and can create damp, shaded spots that moisture-loving pests will settle into. This includes cockroaches and centipedes as well as silverfish, termites, wasps, carpenter ants, and more. It’s also good for the health of your trees and shrubs to remove dead and dying limbs in the spring, as this stimulates new, healthy growth. Just be sure to do it early in spring before birds start nesting.
- Remove leaf litter – Leaf litter, twigs, and garden debris hold moisture and become a useful source of food for garden pests, so it’s best to rake up leaves and keep your garden clean and clear. However, we recommend that you use this in a compost bin that is pest-proof, as it’s a wonderful source of free nutrients for lawns, flowerbeds, and vegetable gardens. Firewood should be stacked away from the foundation and wall of your home and should be restacked and cleared in the spring.
- Clear food waste quickly and securely – Nothing attracts cockroaches and flies like food waste! We recommend that you make sure all indoor trash bins are airtight and inaccessible to bugs, that surfaces are kept clean and disinfected, and that dirty dishes are cleaned or secured in a dishwasher as soon as they’re used. Even tiny amounts of food can be a great attraction to these pests, so it’s important that glasses, mugs, and dishes aren’t left lying in rooms for longer periods of time. All open food should be secured with clips or in Tupperware, and outside bins should be cleaned out regularly too.
- Clear away water – When water accumulates around the structure of your home it will lead to rot and damage to your foundation, as well as attracting termites and wood-eating ant species. The puddles also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are the number one summer pest we all want to prevent! We recommend that you clear out your gutters regularly and make sure your downspouts and splash blocks are moving water away from your home, that any crawlspaces are properly ventilated, any leaks are repaired, and that you maintain a one-inch gap between your soil and wood portions of your home. If you have ponds, a rain garden, or water features, you can install a small solar fountain mechanism that keeps the water from becoming stagnant, so mosquitoes can’t breed there.
Want to sell? This is the best way to sell your home in Dallas
At Shiny Key Properties, we purchase property in any condition, at any time of year, from well-kept family homes to teardowns. If you want to sell your property as is without having to look for a buyer, deal with a real estate agent and pay their commission, or even empty the property, then the best option is to sell directly to our cash property buyers in Dallas.
We can sell your property in 24 hours, putting a lump sum into your account in just a few days. Here’s how our process works:
- You enter your information on our website. We’ll contact you directly to discuss an offer for your property (you can also get a free property evaluation from our website)
- You can accept or reject the FREE NO-OBLIGATION offer
- Cash will be deposited into your bank account – with no real estate agent fees
- We can handle all aspects of the process, including clearing out the property
- You can also call us directly on 469-858-008
That’s all there is to it!
You can also download our FREE eBook for more information on how to sell your property in 24 hours.
Our team is compassionate and highly motivated to offer you the best possible market-related price for your home, so you can sell your property in 24 hours. Not only does this cash go straight into your bank account as soon as the sale goes through, but you also pay zero real estate agent commission.
At Shiny Key Properties, our trained consultants have years of experience in assisting local and out-of-state property owners to sell their property as is. To get an offer from cash property buyers in Dallas, please contact us today and speak to one of our friendly team members.