Chilly Weather Signals Time for Pests to Head Indoors

CHESTER, Pa., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The change in seasons from summer to fall means several species of common household pests are crawling their way into homes across the country as the weather cools. The annual end-of-summer invasion poses many potential risks to homes that are not properly protected from the seasonal onslaught. Power Home Remodeling Group, one of the nation's largest home remodeling companies, provides tips for homeowners looking to protect themselves from household pests that can do major damage to a home if left untreated.

"Homeowners need to take the threat of pests seriously because they can do so much damage to the structure of a home," says Matt Hess, Power's VP of Operations-Installations. "Most pest infestations and accompanying damage are considered maintenance issues by homeowners' insurance carriers, forcing homeowners to cover costs themselves. Prevention is key to protecting both your home and your wallet."

Some species of pests are more likely to invade your home come fall than others. Power offers tips below to help protect your home from pests this fall:

• Eliminate yard clutter. Remove piles of wood and rotted stumps or logs from around your home to keep termites and carpenter ants at bay. When storing firewood, keep it at least 20 feet away from the home and five inches off the ground as a precautionary measure. Also, keep soil at least six inches away from structural wood to prevent decay.
• Get rid of standing water. Termites, carpenter ants and Powerpost beetles all thrive in moist conditions. Many pests use vegetation as a bridge from the ground into your home; so keep bushes, shrubs, vines and trees from touching the house. Wood mulch and plants should also be kept at least 18 inches away from the foundation to prevent rot.
• Seal gaps and cracks. Stink bugs, which are very prevalent this time of year, can easily pass through gaps and cracks in search of a warm place to rest. These pests are a smelly mess when they make it into the home. Inspect walls, windows, doors and the roof for places where pests could possibly enter the home. Seal any cracks or gaps with caulk or epoxy, and use steel wool or hardware cloth to block openings where wires, pipes and cables come into or out of exterior walls. Also be sure to ventilate attics and crawl spaces to ensure the venting system has a good airflow to prevent the buildup of moisture.
• Install and maintain screens on doors and windows. With the summer heat and humidity subsided, fall is the perfect time to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air. Torn or damaged holes in screens can allow a slew of pests easy access to your home. Replace old screens on doors and windows with fine mesh screening to prevent an invasion.
• Cover attic and crawlspace vents with mesh. Larger pests like raccoons, squirrels and mice can easily make themselves home in unprotected spaces. A warm dryer vent is a pest's ideal home as the weather gets chilly this fall, causing homeowners a huge headache. Placing a mesh barrier over points of entry, like vents, holes or large cracks, will keep both the animals, and the mites and fleas they carry, outside where they belong.

Homeowners are sure to save themselves time, money and frustration by taking the above steps to help protect their home from pests this fall. Prevention will make a home inhospitable to pests and will keep a seasonal intrusion from becoming an all-out pest invasion.

About Power Home Remodeling Group
Family-owned since 1992, Power Home Remodeling Group is the nation's sixth largest home remodeling company with more than 1,200 employees and $135 million in sales. Headquartered in Chester, Pa., Power provides energy-saving and environmentally friendly exterior remodeling solutions to residents across the country, including Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC. An Inc. 5000 company, Power has served more than 60,000 homeowners and is recognized as a home improvement leader by its "Dealer of the Year" award from Window and Door Magazine and was named the top remodeler on Professional Remodeler's 2012 Market Leaders Philadelphia list. For more information please visit PowerHRG.com, or follow the company on Twitter @PowerHRG and Facebook at facebook.com/PowerHRG. 

SOURCE Power Home Remodeling Group